World Trigger: Genesis
by R0guePanda
Summary: (If you have ideas or questions, message me!) Four and a half years after the invasion of Mikodo City, the Border Defense Agency stands ever vigilant against the threat of Neighbor attacks. Agents train and work hard every day, and Border is ever expanding to become even more effective. But now a figure steps into the spotlight, and a new darkness...a new genesis approaches.
1. The Runaway

World Trigger: Genesis

Authors Note: Hello everyone! My name is R0guePanda, and here I am going R0gue again from the normal contrains of reality and reason to grant everyone another fanfic! Furthermore, this will be my first World Trigger Fanfic! So I do hope you enjoy as you read!

Well, I have had a lot of ideas on how to start this off, but as I was thinking I was collecting some thoughts about characters and what was needed. Because of...well, because this is an entirely new story based in the World Trigger universe, I decided to go with a mostly OC Centric cast. HOWEVER, I will be taking suggestions on if anyone wants to submit their own OCs or if they want to see any of the previous teams return, such as Suwa and Miwa teams. YumaXChika...err, I mean, Yuma and Chika and Osamu would be difficult though, but given how Yuma IS AWESOME, while I have no intention of using them at the moment, if anyone gives me any good ideas or suggestions of how to implement them without them being the MCs.

But Yuma was the real MC all the way in the canon and anyone who says otherwise is a heretic! WHat, you saying I am the R0gue one? Nonesense!

Right, ahem. With that little...outburst, out of the way, where was I?

Anyways, in addition to changing around some characters, I will also be implementing new ideas for Triggers! If anyone thought of an idea for a Trigger they would like me to use that I have not thought of yet, please feel free to submit them! I already have some, but more Triggers give me more to work with! So please feel free to submit OC ideas and OC teams you would like to see here (SORRY IF A BUTCHER THEIR PERSONALITIES, ANY SUBMISSIONS PLEASE DESCRIBE AS DETAILED AS YOU WANT AND I WILL USE THEM TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY IF IMPLIMENTED) as well as Trigger ideas!

Wow this Author's Note went on for awhile. Anyways...

 **Warning: Although there are lines I wont cross, I can go pretty out of the norm in my writing...well, honestly I have been told you can find far more volatile writing then mine on the internet, but I decided to warn you guys anyways to be nice.**

* * *

Chapter 1: The Runaway

(? POV)

"Ah-hah!"

I continued to keep running. I had to, I had to keep running as fast as I could. One after another, my feet pressed into the dirt as I ran at top speed.

It was dark out, with no sun overhead to light my way as I ran through this path. But I had to keep running, I could not stop. I had to escape. I couldn't stand being here any further! I absolutely hated it here. They called this my home, my life, my responsibility! But the only place that this was to me was a prison!

The Neighborhood Country, Colsaria. If one was to talk about the specifics and specialities of the Neighborhood countries, this one would likely be known for its strange and amazing advances in science and if it was publicly known about, the brutal experiments that went on underneath. Yes, those experiments were they turn children like me into their brutal killing machines.

"Attention! Alarms have been set off! They are aware of our escape!"

I only had one ally right now. That was an Autonomous Trion Soldier I had managed to hijack. I was able to learn, after everything I witnessed and experienced. I was able to pick up skills they didn't even plan to teach me. I removed the constraints and programmed him to be my ally and friend. And right now, he was taking Trion out of my body to use for our escape.

 _"Yay! My first friend!"_

That was what I thought at the time when I did that. I was fully aware of just how pitiful that made me sound, but ever since my Trion levels were discovered and they took me into that place I have not had a single ounce of Freedom. But, there was one place I heard of in my travels...one place that could potentially provide me with enough cover to hide.

I already knew I couldn't stay here. I was literally dressed in just a sleeveless T shirt, and a light pair of pants. This would probably surprise a lot of people, but I was just a short white haired boy around eleven or twelve, with scars across the body not quite visible on first glance but if one payed attention...well, it was not good.

Even though there was not any snow, the outside was cold. Not below freezing, but it was not that far off. I was barefoot, running through the forest in these conditions. Oddly enough, if it was not for the brutal training they put me and the brutal lessons they drilled into my head about various subjects, I probably wouldn't be able to escape right now. But, no matter what I did not want to become like _that thing..._

That was a fate that terrified me more then death. I refused to acknowledge any reality where I would become _that._

"Tora! Various forms of Trion Soldiers have been deployed, including some of the new kind! My internal sensors indicate we will not be able to outrun them for long!"

"How close are we to the escape point?"

"It will be close! Permission to accel..."

"Granted! Do it!"

Suddenly, the cords it had extended and attached to my arm increased in number and they started to drain further. I looked at my right hand, and the trigger I held within it. If I used the Trigger, they would detect the reaction and zero in on my location immediately. That was what happened to the previous escapee...or well, his attempt.

"KREEEEEEEEEEE!"

And then, I heard that screech. I heard what had to be the most terrifying sound to me in any world.

"They...they plan to use _that_ to hunt me down?!"

"Tora! There is a cliff ahead!"

I had to dig my feet into the ground in order to stop my momentum and prevent myself from barreling over the cliff. I could hear them too, the Trion Soldiers. They were coming for me, they were coming right for me. They must have spotted me by now. I still had the trigger in my hand, I still had my abilities, but what I needed was time. I needed time that I simply did not have.

"Mimik".

"Yes?"

"Take it all. I don't care if I get critically injured, or even die. But I wont go back to that place".

"...understood. This will hurt quite a bit".

"Promises promises. I have endured pai...ahhg...pain before..."

As I turned around to see my pursuers, atop one of the larger Trion soldiers I saw the man in charge of my suffering. Well, he was not that old. Maybe he was ten or fifteen years older then me.

"Now now, Subject...ah yes, that mark on your face..."

Remembering the mark, the brand of ownership they put my on face, I touched it with my free hand.

"Subject Sigma. My my, how we have gone through quite a few test subjects huh?"

I could still remember their screams. I heard them every night in my sleep. Years ago, there were a lot more voices. Now there were much less. But, I did not have the power to save them. Any of them. I barely got away myself. No, I had not yet...but I had no intention of giving up yet.

And then, my Autonomous Trion Soldier Mimik communicated something into my ear.

"It is not large, you will need to curl up into a ball, but I have secured enough trion for emergency transport".

"Hey! What the hell are you doing with that anyways! Even by stealing Mimik, did you really think you could escape? Or perhaps, are you forgetting the first success?"

Suddenly, he motioned to his side and _that_ emerged. It was a human sized Trion Soldier. Near my size even, so child sized. But what made it worse, what made it so much more terrifying, was that it had a human face. And not just any human face, that face used to belong to one of the test subjects. One of the ones right before me. No, I think he was the one right before me. My ruby red eyes glistened in the moonlight as I saw it. It was as if time froze for just that moment.

"It's ready!"

"Do it!"

"Wha...stop them!"

And so I took the only option I had, refusing to accept that as an option at all, and jumped off the cliff. There were only sharp rocks below, but the others went after me. Even if I was just like cattle to them, they deemed me valuable cattle. I was to be the next success. But I refused that option.

I curled my body up into a ball and before I hit the rocks below, Mimik wrapped himself around me and took the form of a pod. But not just any pod, an escape pod.

"Is that...a gate?! No!"

He opened up a gate right under us and my pod slipped through. There was only one place I could think to hide from them now. They had all the nearby regions under their thumb, and had infiltration teams in countless others. The only place I could run to was a place outside the reach of most. A place where I could hide among a sea of thousands. A place I heard in rumor and legend, whispered among the scientists as a place of wonder...and danger to them.

I was heading to a place called Mideen, or to be specific a place I heard was called Mikado City. A place divided from the rest of us by a Border.

* * *

(Kranz POV, 3rd Person)

The scientist watched as the prized specimen slipped away through a Gate, and managed to escape their world. That was the reason he took Mimik, he did it because of the ability to open a Gate and travel to the other side. Kranz was a young but powerful figure in this government, and had been personally assigned by his father the Emperor to oversee this great project that would allow them to fight against all others. Even the warriors of Mideen would not be able to fight against their new forces.

But now, the intelligence of what they had been up to was carried out by that boy. Not just the Autonomous Trion Soldier (ATS), but his own body as well.

He looked over at the spooky white colored humanoid Trion Soldier, the first success, and then the other commanders and forces that had gathered and saw what happened.

"Well?! WHere did he go!?"

"Never fear sir! When we find out, capture will be easy! All nearby nations are under our control!"

"Err..."

"What is it?!"

"Actually, there is one place not under our control right now that is one gate away...Mideen".

"Shit...SHIT SHIT SHIT!"

Kranz furiously stomped the ground when he heard that. Of all the luck? No, he knew this couldn't be luck. Somehow, he must have learned this and planned it. He was definitely headed there. Mideen. Home to Border.

"Get several ships! As many as we can muster! We need to go after him! Whether through covert action or force, we must take that boy and the ATS back by any means necessary! Deploy! Everyone, stop standing around! Deploy now!"

And so, a good portion of Colsaria's available offensive and capture forces that Kranz could muster gathered together to prepare for what would be the beginning of a story beyond the scope of normal imagination.

(Well, there we are! A pretty good intro chapter, if I do say so myself! I hope you all enjoyed this! Please feel free to submit any ideas for OCs or Triggers you would like to see me try to incorporate! No promises, but I will see what I can do!)


	2. Before The Fall

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 2: Before the Fall

(Daisuke POV)

"Ahhg! I can't believe I am late again!"

A rather average looking fifteen year old boy yelled that as he ran along the streets. He was currently wearing a Mikodo High Schoool Uniform, and had just finished scarfing down a breakfast. The only real notable thing about him was his glasses. However, he did not mind that much as he believed it helped him stand out, and that otherwise he would just fade into the background. He had worries like that.

"I really need to stop staying up so late imagining all the various amazing things at Border. Right! What I need to focus on is training!"

The boy darted around people and weaved through the various signs and other objects on the street. His goal right now was to make it to class on time. He had accidentally kept himself up late last night, trying to think of various battle plans in his head and deciding who to try and recruit for a team.

He was Daisuke Shinya, a member of Border who had just made B-Rank. He had yet to form a team and join the B-Rank Wars however because not only did he just make it to B-Rank, but he also didn't know many others who were also in B-Rank yet. He was the only one who both got accepted and made it to B-Rank that he knew about.

He was so sure he was going to be late, and that he would get into trouble for it. Maybe they would accept he was planning out Border related agendas? But it was not official, so he doubted that they would allow that. But a glimmer of hope entered his eyes when he saw the school building, thinking he might just make it.

"Dai-kun? What are you doing?"

However what came into his view was a single person he did not expect. Yumi Subaru, a fifteen year old girl that was in the same grade. She was also a member of Border, and a B-Rank. Of course, one would naturally think that given she was in the same grade and the same class as Daisuke, and was familiar enough with him to use a nickname that was not "Glasses" that she would be the ideal partner to ask to join his team.

And other people's minds would probably go even farther then that.

But she was already a member of a four person team, the three others being in the grade above them and around a year older. Amalee Granger, a transfer student from America who joined when a chance encounter let them discover she had high Trion levels. Aron Granger, her twin brother also had high Trion levels which was confirmed later and therefore also joined. Finally there was Reiji Haruka, who did not have exceptional Trion levels but was good at making use of the Trion levels he did have. It seemed his passion came from his little brother being abducted by the Neighbors in the invasion four and a half years ago

In fact, Daisuke pretty much had no hope of joining them because it was said they would be attempting to rank up to A. Actually, to be exact they were thinking of just allowing another team into the A-Rank maximum instead of dropping one down, since eventually Border's ranks would grow further and they already had grown quite a bit.

Anyways, it was her that he encountered. But that was the strange part.

"Yumi-chan? What are you doing here? Don't you normally get here an hour early to get everything prepared?"

Yumi could not help but laugh at his comment, making him feel like something was amiss.

"I think your clocks got broken. I am not an hour late, you are an hour early".

Dai quickly looked around, and did notice it was strangely silent with less foot traffic then usual. Normally, it was a bit busier. Granted, he thought he was late, but usually there would be more noise, more signs of life around. More bikes locked to the bike rack and all that.

"Oh…well, I suppose it's better than being late right?"

"True. Usually you are late or rushing in at the last minute. Let me guess, you still have no idea who to ask to join your team, or whose team will accept you?"

"Yeah…well, I only just got to B-Rank so eventually there should be someone".

"I suppose. It's just, its really hard to be a solo sniper".

"That is true. Our team is not only maxed out, but we already have two snipers. With me as the attacker and Amalee as the Shooter, we are pretty well rounded if you exclude having two snipers".

"Well, having two snipers is in its own way powerful".

Although Dai didn't see anything wrong with it himself, there were some who found it a bit strange that the two males on the team were the snipers and the females were the close quarters specialists.

Having those two snipers, a Shooter with high Trion levels, and Yumi who was a skilled attacker and took karate lessons since she was six, they were already considered A-Rank material. It was rumored that they were already chosen to go on an away mission to the Neighborhood, and there had been rumors circulating around the base of strange reports from the other side the last few missions.

"I hope you play it safe".

"That is Rule One after all".

Yumi's team had three rules. The First was to prioritize safety, the second was to always make sure you can watch each other's backs, and the third was to never give up on each other.

Daisuke was aware there were likely several flags in this seemingly typical story, but it could not be helped. A lot of people that joined Border did so because they lost someone in the invasion four and a half years ago. Reiji lost his little brother, but Yumi lost her little brother and her parents. Dai's mother did not go missing, but she did die during the invasion.

Of course some, like Amalee and Aron did it because they just wanted to defend people, holding no particular hatred. And there was also a group that believed not all Neighbors were bad, and actively promoted making allies with the good ones.

Surprisingly, even though Yumi lost a lot of her family on that day, she held no generic hatred towards neighbors. Instead, she just wondered that if they came all the way here to do that invasion, what were the Nations behind it all doing to the others that did not participate.

She gave angels a run for her money.

Daisuke himself felt fairly annoyed at the neighbors still for what they did, unable to let go that bit of rage that fueled his passion. But it was not an overwhelming hate either. He hated them sure, but not enough to think they should go and bomb all the other countries outright and respond with equal aggression. But he did not think they could really trust any of them as allies either. Not after what they did, all the children that got hurt along the way.

But he did not hold the idea that it was realistic to be some Hero of Justice type either. He believed it was important to defend what they could, and avenge when they can. In other words, a fairly balanced way of thinking.

"Anyways, so how are you doing? I think you mainly used an Egret right?"

"Yeah, but I think I might need to change it up. Too many people keep countering with multiple shields".

"I don't think an Ilbis suits you though, and lightning would only make that problem worse".

"I suppose so".

Dai had gone with an Egret because nothing else fit him well. Ilbis was too unwieldy, and Lightning lacked enough power.

"If I could perfect that one technique I thought of though, then maybe…"

Unfortunately, their talk was cut short as sirens blared across the city. These were specific sirens, and could only mean one thing. Another Neighbor attack. But then the announcement spoke something that concerned the two of them.

"Attention, Multiple Gates Opening! Multiple Gates Opening! All Border Agents, this is an emergency situation! Everyone approach the base and prepare for combat!"

After hearing that, Daisuke quickly looked towards Yumi.

"Where is your team right now?"

"They had defense duty this morning! But they were assigned to the region on the other side of the fort".

"Alright then, until we meet up with others we should work as a team then!"

"Agreed!"

"Alert, Multiple Inbound Gates Detected! Alert, Multiple Inbound Gates Detected! Gates detected outside the Forbidden Zone!"

"What?!"

Surely enough, right after that announcement multiple gates opened up near them and numerous objects dropped down from them into a civilian area.

"Yumi-chan!"

"Agreed! We go there first!"

The two took out their triggers, and began running.

"Trigger, on!"

* * *

(A Certain S-Rank POV)

The rustling bag of a popular snack food could be heard as a pair of boots headed towards the edge of a roof. He was wearing a jacket, some sunglasses, and other things that also made him easily identifiable to those who knew him.

"Hmm. It looks like something interesting is going to happen…looks like it is going to need my help after all. The Super Elite, Jin!"

"Would you stop sprouting such nonsense! The overload of gates…I don't know how, but whatever is generating them is stronger then normal. Hell, some of the gates tried to appear outside the city but we were able to boost the Guidance Beacon to stop that!"

"Don't worry, everything should be fine".

"Is your Side Effect telling you that?"

"Yeah…but it looks like I do need to get involved. Talk later!"

And then, overhead one of the Trion Soldiers finally appeared. A bomber type from what it looked like, flying in the air.

"Time to handle things properly, Fujin".

* * *

(Mimik's POV)

And meanwhile, unlike the other gates one opened up inbetween two buildings in an alley. In fact, this was the one that arrived first, but due to the size, design, and the fact a Trion Soldier was not being deployed from it they were able to safely pass through. It was already closed now, and they had arrived first. But the impact made a loud noise, and as a result it had gathered people's attentions.

But thanks to the fact that they had arrived a good amount of time before the others did, he was discovered well before the Neighbors attacked. Indeed, the one that was found was a young boy with odd and dirty clothing, and clearly suffering from a mixture of exhaustion and pain. They missed the not too notable scars and marks on his body that required both clear light and a keen eye to notice, but given his condition sent him to the hospital all the same. As such, he was moved well away from his initial landing point before the others arrived after him.

Mimik was actually keeping himself hidden, first inside Tora's clothing and then he moved himself into the ambulance discreetly.

He was doing his very best to stay hidden, but also gather information and hide Tora's true identity. He had already temporarily hidden the mark on his cheek, and now he was using his medical protocols to help disguise Tora's true physical state from the doctors, unaware that they had no way of detecting even half the stuff about Tora's body, if not most irregularities. But if they started to examine him closely and noticed the scars that were hidden from any first glance, then things could get problematic.

After what had been done to him, Tora was already out of the norm. After all, they were preparing to turn him into one of those things. And unlike some of their other experiments, those were not so easy to deal with.

And so right as the Neighbors appeared was when they had just finished getting Tora to the hospital. But that was nowhere near the end of things. Rather, this was only the beginning.

(Heyo! I had some time so I got Chapter 2 out sooner then expected. Don't consider multiple chapters a day a normal thing though! I just had this party written out already, but then realized the first chapter should start there instead.)


	3. What We Are Capable Of

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 3: What We Are Capable Of

(So I guess I got infected by the New Fanfiction bug, which makes people want to post more frequently about any Fanfiction they only recently just started. Anyways, this is a nice, long juicy chapter for you all!)

(Tora POV)

"Uhhhg…"

I woke up hearing my own groan. My entire body felt like it had been smashed into a wall, and then smashed into by another wall to smush me between the two walls. It was an extremely unpleasant feeling, though it was still preferable to other moments in my life.

However, aside from the pain I thought I might be in heaven. Until Mimik spoke up.

"Tora, are you feeling better?"

"Yeah".

I said in a sort of emotionless voice while not moving anything but my mouth, mesmerized by what I was experiencing right now.

"Can you move?"

"Probably".

"Then…"

"Mimik, what is this heavenly material I am on right now?"

"It is called a bed".

"I see…this is a bed?"

Finally, the shock caused me to sit up and look at Mimik who seemed to have connected himself to my medical equipment.

"Despite what you experienced, that thing that was refered to as your bed did not even count as a true bed in the standard of any country. However, it appears Mideen beds are of even higher quality, at least as far as I am aware".

"I see…and these clothes I am wearing?"

I noticed that I was no longer wearing the clothes I had escaped in, but now some new sort of clothing. I still didn't have shoes though, but that was not that important right now.

"It appears these are special clothing given to those under medical treatment. They will let you blend in sort of in here, though if you try to move around people will quickly take notice and cause a commotion".

"I see…where is everyone by the way?"

"It appears that a large scale Neighbor attack is underway. Mikodo City is under a medium scale raid, forces are likely those searching for us. There are people currently being brought in after sustaining injuries during the initial arrival and panic of Trion Soldiers".

Finally, Mimik told me something that fully brought my attention away from the comfortable clothes and accommodations I was given, as well as the interesting and unique design of Mideen's structures and people. This was really the first time I was ever truly free. I was taken from my home so long ago, this was the first time I could decide to do what I want.

But when I heard people were suffering from my actions, I froze in place for a bit. I came here because I heard there was a Border that separated this world from ours, but in coming here it seemed I brought them with me. It was my fault right now this attack was taking place, as they had no plans to attack Mideen before. It was because I showed up.

"You do not have to fight. I have gathered more information, and it appears this 'Border' we heard of was referring to something called the Border Defense Agency. Their agents are already mobilizing and engaging the Trion Soldiers. You do not have to fight".

I clenched my fists, irritated at my own stupidity. Electricity began to spark from me in response, a part of their experiments and conditioning to turn me into that thing. All I could think about was escaping, about getting away. I couldn't stand turning into that thing. And I still couldn't. That was what made me truly angry. Reflecting back on my options, I knew that even if I knew this would be the outcome I would make the same decisions. That was how much I didn't want to become that thing.

That was what made me angry. Because it made me feel like I was just like them. Hiding behind shadows, letting others get hurt so they could prosper. That was what I was doing right now.

"Mimik. How are my Trion levels?"

"I masked them appropriately. Since it looks like Border has a general stance of hating any and all neighbors without distinction, I have already pre-modified your trigger to include a helmet that will hide your true identity".

"Mimik….you expected this of me?"

"You programmed me to be your friend…but I was always autonomous and self thinking from the beginning. You just helped remove the constraints that forced my obedience and gave me the ability to make my own path too. And I will follow you into the abyss, and make sure you return from it. Because I believe your desire is right. That our fate does not lie inside that abyss of despair and death, but in long and happy lives".

Hearing Mimik's words, I could not help but smile. He extended out one of his arm cord things and handed me something that appeared like a bracelet and put it on my arm, the size adjusting itself to fit perfectly. This surprised me a bit.

"Thank you Mimik…that means a lot. But, what is this? Wasn't it a gauntlet before?"

"I modified your Trigger for ease of carrying in this world. It helped that I removed the tracking devices and disabled them, as well as the obedience and punishment systems. Now it is just a standard Trigger Case to hold your Triggers".

Mimik finished explaining as I looked at it. At the same time, I could hear people coming down the hall. I looked down at myself, and saw the sparks. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself down and they subsided.

"Mimik? I am not longer human, am I?"

"You are. You possess the survival instinct of humans, the desire of humans to want something for yourself, the anger of humans, and the kindness of humans. You are most certainly a human".

Mimik told me an answer that was not quite what I had asked for, but I smiled all the same before changing to a determined expression as I looked out the window.

"Trigger, On!"

"Trigger Reprograming Detected. Default State Restored, Obedience, Tracking, and Punishment Systems removed. Reset Complete. Scanning User Body. Generating New Trion Body. Buffer System Enabled to handle Excess Trion. Integration with ATS complete!"

And so, a new Trion Body was generated with Mimik fusing in to assist. This was a Trigger he was forced to use, it was top of the line and utilized technology and analysis from multiple different types of Triggers they had or had data on. They did steal this from the most advanced

It was colored white with red as it's secondary, similar to a certain other appearance generated by a certain Black Trigger only it had a helmet as well.

"Let's go, Mimik!"

* * *

(Daisuke POV)

Dai watched from above as Yumi charged towards enemy after enemy, constantly making sure she was on the offensive. She was brilliantly displaying her strength and had the ability that let her do this, but it was also because Dai was constantly covering her blindspots.

Additionally, she was an Attacker that used Scorpion, which held low defense power. Staying on the offense would be more effective then using the Scorpion for defense.

That was why the strategy they were currently doing, Yumi staying on the offensive with Dai covering her was the best possible strategy the two could come up with. But for some reason, each and every time they took one down, two more took it's place. It seemed to be that they were mounting a serious offensive.

As he took down another Trion Soldier though, he noticed that several civilians ran down an alley being pursued by a Marmod.

"Yumi! A Marmod is after civilians! Down that alley, I have no visuals! I just took a few more shots, so I am repositioning!"

"Understood! I will chase immediately!"

Dai quickly stood up from his position and ran across the rooftops, looking for any sign of a good spot where he could cover the street and the alley at once. Thankfully there was one nearby, but then he heard Yumi scream out.

"You bastard! Get away from them!"

Quickly getting into position, he moved into view only to see someone wearing strange clothes with strange gear holding a woman with a knife at her throat and something strange in the other hand.

Dai's blood chilled and boiled at the same time. It was a Neighbor, he was sure of it.

"I wonder how you will deal with this…it's a good thing we got those schematics from Aftokrator".

Suddenly, the man dispensed a small pod from his body and activated it, it glowing a color as he forced it into the woman's mouth. He then pushed her towards them, but suddenly something strange happened. A huge flux of Trion seemed to wrap around her, which then morphed and grew in a weird and somewhat grotesque manner, even if it was Trion energy.

Suddenly, what was in front of them was a…rabbit shaped Trion Soldier?

The man seemed to enter into a gate that opened up behind him, managing to dodge Dai's shot. Given what he did to an innocent woman, Dai ended up acting aggressively though no one could say it was the wrong call. Yumi was a bit in shock from seeing it close up, but Dai who was further away was also in shock. Yet, he managed to recover in time to fire at the Rabbit.

"What the hell is that thing?! A newtype?!"

Dai's references finally seemed to break through to Yumi, and snapped her out of it.

"What are you doing? That is a person?! And is this the time to make jokes?!"

"Yumi-chan, if we don't take this thing out now it will hurt us and others! It may just be like a Trigger Transformation, remember that Trion Effect? If we destroy the core, it should free the person inside!"

Hearing his words, Yumi looked back at the Rabbit. Indeed, all of Dai's shots had been focused on the core they had seen.

"Alright, give me covering fire! I will try to crack this thing open for you!"

Yumi moved forward to try and deal some damage on it, but the Rabbit swung first. Yumi used her agility and reflexes though to dodge it and then land a strike on the Rabbit…but the damage was not significant. Dai immediately fired upon that spot to try and deal it some critical damage and break through none the less, not flinching at any possible chance.

But not a single one did any damage. Instead, the Rabbit focused on Daisuke's location and jumped right towards him to defeat the easier opponent first.

"Dai-kun!"

The Rabbit's jump was too fast, Dai had no time to evade and Yumi had no way to catch up. It was right at them now, right in their face and ready to bash him in.

"Oi, no hurting the kohai before going through me!"

But then in an unexpected twist, it was Yosuke Yoneya who was an A-Rank member of Border that appeared. Although the rest of Miwa Squad was not present, it appeared that Yosuke had been on his own and therefore had been fighting on his own. Given his exceptional innate battle sense, even though he had low Trion levels he was able to adapt and become A-Rank.

"Yo-Sempai!"

"Yo-Sempai, what are you doing here?"

"I saw the fight at a distance, and decided to see what all the fun was about!"

Indeed, the Rabbit was forced to retreat on instinct because Yosuke managed to damage it's core when he blocked to save Daisuke. It was only a light graze, it appeared that the Rabbit had exceptional reflexes too, but it was enough to cause it to start leaking Trion.

Yumi and Daisuke managed to regroup themselves and joined up with Yosuke.

"So, what the hell is that Rabbit?"

"Unknown, but there is a person trapped inside! A humanoid neighbor came around and used some weird pod to turn her into this Trion Soldier!"

"Strange…is it regenerating?"

The other two looked, and the damage to core was actually regenerating.

"I see…it's the human inside. It is using her Trion Gland to restore itself. What a nasty thing to do, making Trion Soldiers that regenerate using the civilians of the enemy. We can't unleash any attacks that are too powerful….well, it looks like the three of us are all precision, but that in itself is the issue. We need power to break through its defenses, but precision to take it down without harming the civilian inside".

"Yo-Sempai. Can you make it open it's mouth again and get it to focus on you?"

"Yeah, probably. Why?"

"Dai-kun, you need to land multiple precision shots on the core the moment it opens its mouth. The moment it opens, we will need to force it to stay open while you do that. Once Yo-Sempai gets it open, I will bend Scorpion around it to help keep it open while Yo-Sempai uses his spear to keep it propped open".

"I see…yeah, this plan can work. Alright, lets do it!"

Yosuke, Daisuke, and Yami immediately moved out. Yami moved out of the Rabbit's line of sight, but not before crossing it and getting it's attention. With its gaze temporarily drawn, Yosuke gets in close and unleashes a variety of attacks, charging his spear right into the upper mouth and using the force of that charge managed to prop it right open.

The moment it propped open, Daisuke started to unload several shots into the Rabbit while Yami came up from behind, and used her Scorpion to bend around it and keep it propped open. With the combined force of an A-Rank and someone who is A-Rank equivlent, it couldn't close it immediately which let Daisuke open fire on it using as many shots as he could fire as fast as he could.

Of course, Yami didn't just use Scorpion to bind it. Using the flexible morphing blade, she also stabbed into it. Yosuke did the same with his spear, making the blade extend and cutting into it. With all that combined damage, the core was finally shattered before it could even finish regenerating from the first attack.

"Situation contained. Weird Rabbit thing destroyed".

 _"_ _Daisuke-kun, Yumi-san, can you hear me? I linked you into in with Yosuke's comms. I have Miwa on a separate line since listening to each other's battle comms might be confusing and he was with you two at the moment"._

"Thanks".

"Appreciated".

 _"_ _Alright…wait, we are detecting a large number of gates opening up a few blocks away from you, near a hospital! Respond immediately, we cannot let them get near the hospital!"_

"A large number of gates? Why?"

 _"_ _Well…actually, this is kind of strange. There are no agents there, but we are detecting the destruction of multiple Trion Soldiers. We also have reports of…a white and red humanoid figure fighting Trion Soldiers?!"_

"Is it another humanoid Neighbor?"

 _"_ _Possible, but it looks like he is not allied with these Trion Soldiers. And the fact they are opening Gates near him…either he is a threat to them, or their target!"_

"Understood! We will head that way and investigate! We need to prevent damage to the hospital anyways!"

 _"_ _Be safe! Just because they are fighting each other does not make him a friend!"_

"It could be a girl you know".

That was muttered by Yumi as the three of them began hopping from rooftop to rooftop towards the hospital. They knew that if they didn't make it in time, some seriously bad stuff could happen. For instance, they could use them as hostages. Who knew what would happen if they did something like that? Threaten Border to surrender? Likely that would never be accepted, so it would just lead to a lot of death.

Hopping from rooftop to rooftop, Yumi ended up using Radar to try and locate high concentrations of Trion energy. And surely enough, it seemed like there was a huge cluster headed to the hospital…as well as a large cluster of Trion already in the hospital?

"What is with this strong Trion reading?"

"It appears that…a lot of people have been brought there! Its possible that several of them had high Trion levels, so clustered all together with the others is like a huge beacon to attract Neighbors! They do have the weird ability to narrow in on this stuff after all!"

"We have detected another chain of Gates! They are opening right on top of you!"

Just as the group heard that, Yumi and Yosuke went to street level while Daisuke took a sniping position. They had to stand their ground here, as there were still civilians in this area evacuating. Hell, there were some in the street running away right now.

Dozens of Marmods appeared in front of them, a rather tricky and annoying opponent.

But was was really strange was that the scientist from earlier was there now, and he had two Rabbits at his side.

"Capture them! Trigger Users will make for a good bonus of specimens!"

"Looks like they want to capture people after all. Alright people…"

(If you want a song that goes well with this scene, playing Followers by Man With A Mission fits well)

"…I guess we will just have to do our best until reinforcements come!"

Yumi and Yosuke immediately went and charged forward. Although there were two Rabbits, they were in back and the Marmods attacked first.

"Ha. These people…wait, what is this? A high Trion output detected?"

As Yumi and Yosuke took down the first two Marmods in front of them with little to no problem, several others began to charge at them. Yet a white and red figure suddenly shot past them and kicked two of the Marmods in with enough force, they went slamming into the two behind them and one of their blades broke off.

The strange warrior, who was Tora that they had not met yet, picked up the severed Marmod blade as he charged forward, emiting a strange electric light aftertrail effect as he moved at high speed. Using the blade, he cut right through the core of another Marmod before he sent it flying into a different Marmod nearby.

The three were shocked at first by his appearance, but they understood immediately now was not the time to be in a daze. Even if they did not know his intention, helping him meant all four of them would not get captured and they could protect the civilians.

"Daisuke! Focus! We need to prioritize!"

"Right!"

Daisuke said that outloud, but in his mind he was a little uncertain by their new friend.

Yosuke charged forward and continued his charge towards the humanoid neighbor that appeared to be some sort of scientists, or at least that was his guess, and Yumi backed him up by striking at any that tried to flank him. Meanwhile, Tora broke their formation by jumping right into the fray. With their formation broken, Yosuke and Yumi would keep taking out the individuals and prevent them all from hanging up on Tora. If Tora tried to do this on his own, he would get killed from this method as he would then get surrounded and captured…though, technically speaking Marmods were meant for killing, and not capture.

Actually, Daisuke knew that too so he wondered what the hell was going on.

But he continued to shoot Marmods anyways, covering whoever he could.

Tora ripped the blade off of another Marmod, and used that as his next weapon.

 _Why is he not using his own Trigger…why is he hiding and conserving its power?_

Throughout the entire fight, not a single time had the mysterious ally used his own Triggers. He kept ripping blades off of Marmods or used physical attacks.

As he picked up two at once, he diced up two Marmods at once before throwing two more at Marmods that were still right in front of the scientist.

"Damn it…Rabbits, move in and capture them!"

The two Rabbits finally decided to act, and charged right in to deal with the four of them.

That was when he did it, two arm blades appeared, one on each arm, and he began to charge one of them. He also finally spoke out, but the voice was clearly muffled and synthesized.

"If you can hold that one off, I will deal with this one if your sniper can cover me and then we can focus on the last Rabbit together!"

"I cant believe we are taking battle advice from a Neighbor…but it is a damn good strategy!"

"Agreed! The priority is the civilians!"

Yumi and Yosuke charged forward to keep the second Rabbit occupied while Tora went to deal with the first with sniper support from Daisuke. Tora had extremely powerful Trion, large combat experience, and a powerful Trigger. But there were still dozens of Marmods, and a Rabbit was a tough opponent that required at least A-Rank strength to properly deal with. In truth, if they charged directly at the Rabbit Yumi could use her bending Scorpion to deal damage to it, or Yosuke could use his spear and have it extend at the right angle to also deal that critical damage.

They were certainly capable of dealing with Rabbits, but someone needed to keep it occupied directly in the front so they could do that damage. Neither of them were really good at defensive battles though, both preferred to stay on the offensive.

Meanwhile, Tora fought up close. Each time his blades hit the Rabbit, it scratched and caused damage only for it to be regenerated. Once he saw that, he realized what had been done and it made his blood boil even more. Increasing the power he was using, he cut right through one of the arms using all his strength and then used that momentum to cut its mouth a little, which it had closed to keep its core safe. It seemed these Rabbits were also smarter then normal Trion Soldiers.

However, the mouth started regenerating before Tora could make another swing. But not before Daisuke from behind shot a few rounds into it's mouth and did some damage. With part of the core damaged, the regeneration slowed. This allowed Tora to stab right into it and destroy the core. But with that feeling, he realized something.

 _It was moving the Trion levels inside itself to block the strikes better, I am sure of it. These Rabbits are not True Rabbits. It must be the people they are using, the core provides some Trion but because they generate the Body and have to make use of only one Trion Organ to substain it, even though it can regenerate it is weaker then a normal Rabbit._

Learning this was a great victory. He had fought Rabbits before that while could not regenerate were much stronger. But if it lacked that raw power, it meant that if the others focused their Trion on a single point they might break through the makeshift reinforcement.

"Quickly, at the same time I do, focus your Trion into a single strike and we will all hit it at once! They are using reinforcement techniques!"

"I see!"

"Alright then!"

The three of them struck all at once against the Rabbit when they heard that. Unable to protect against all the strikes at once, Rabbit's core was broken and the person inside saved. With both Rabbits down, it would seem like his last line of defense was broken.

"KREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

But then that sound was heard, and all three of them noticed the white and red figure freeze and shiver temporarily with fright.

"Haha, just as I thought. You know you cant fight this right? And you really think these people will accept you, considering this was all your fault to begin with?"

With those words, the white and red figure turned to stare at him. No one could read the facial expressions of him with the helmet on hiding his true identity, but they could sense it…he was angry and afraid and upset.

"You shut up! This is all your fault!"

"Now now! You had to know, coming here that we would come after you in force. That we would bring everything we got with us….including our new Champion".

Suddenly, a new Trion Soldier appeared out from behind the one the scientist was riding. However, the moment they saw the damn thing they understood just what unnerved him so much about it. Because while it looked like a warped, grotesque human form, it was certainly a Trion Soldier. But…it also had a face. And not just any face, a face with an expression of pain and agony with eyes that looked like they were being glared at and judged.

"You had to know that many people would die for your actions! And I bet…you don't even regret them do you? Because you have no one you care about? If you come with us now…."

"No! I won't ever go with you! No no no no no!"

At first, it seemed ike he began to have a mental breakdown going face to face with this horrid thing. Certainly, one could sense from it…this Champion was made from a human in the worst of ways. A human was consumed to make it, and it was far more powerful then a Rabbit.

"…I…"

Suddenly, one of his arms changed form and a large cannon appeared on it. Only, he did not point it towards the Champion. He pointed it at his own head.

"I will always run, always come here if it meant escaping that fate! Because I would rather die then become that!"

"What…crap! Champion, stop him!"

The Champion immediately rushed at Tora. After all, if Tora fired that shot this entire invasion would have been a wasted effort if he died. If Tora died, everything was at a loss. But before he could...Tora fired. But he also dropped something that was in his other hand.

It was some sort of sphere, and it sent out a burst of light.

"Critical Point Damaged. Disbanding Trion Form!"

"Wait…damnit of course!"

The scientist, who was not a warrior had gotten caught up in the act and believed Tora was really about to commit suicide. But in truth, it would first make him lose his Trion Form. Daisuke realized from the start that was what he was up to.

But what was strange was the figure he saw jump _into_ the battle at that exact moment.

A woman wearing a Green outfit wielding a large Trion Battleaxe. She came in and delivered a serious blow to the Champion. Daisuke could tell from the power, any normal enemy would have been destroyed in one hit from the damage.

But yet the Champion…it only received a portion of damage. It was still standing, and it would have surprised most people. But instead, the woman backed off…and that was when Daisuke recognized her.

At the same time, a jeep came speeding around the corner. With a Border Logo, it was different because it was not the HQ Branch. Instead, it was Tamakoma Branch.

Seeing the Champion damaged, and the fact that his prey ran away, the scientist was quick to recall Champion and evacuated through a gate with it without saying a word.

But at the same time, after that flash the figure of the Neighbor who helped them could not be seen anyways. Yumi however shot a look towards Yosuke.

"Yo-sempai, you saw it right…his height?"

"Yeah…I did. COuldn't have been a boy older then eleven or twelve. That wont matter to some people, but…yeah. No matter what, we have to report it though…"

And while Yumi and Yosuke had that conversation, Daisuke began to think about it as well.

"Just…what did they do to that boy…to make him react like that to the Champion…don't tell me, they planned to use him to make one of those damn things?!"

* * *

(Tora POV)

I was still breathing deeply after I finished slipping in through the window, in complete and total fear of what happened. The Champion…that was the fate they wanted for me. Everytime I saw it…it just, I couldn't take it.

I was no longer on my Trion form, but my normal form. Though after what they did to me to prepare to turn me into that thing, normal was about the last thing that could be used to describe me.

I was hiding out in my hospital room again. I don't know why I decided to return here, but…I couldn't take being anywhere else right now. I jumped right into my bed, and pulled the covers over me.

"Tora…are you going to be okay?"

"Mimik…can you please handle establishing an identity for me? Make it one that lets me stay here for awhile. We can…we can claim my parents got abducted during the attack. Can you handle all this for me please?"

"I understand. I will give you time to recover. Maybe…you should just sleep in that comfortable bed some more…"

I finally started to calm down and my breathing regulated as the stress left my body and I was overtaken by a horrible feeling. All the adrenaline made me forget, but the impact of landing did hurt me a bit. It looked like I was going to pass out soon regardless, but at least I was in a hospital…

"Yeah…goodnight, Mimik".

"Goodnight, Tora".

(Poor Tora...got some bad trauma right there. But it was nice to see Yosuke again, and we saw some good teamwork there! Never fear, this story has much more to come!)

(For the record, still accepting any OCs anyone wants to submit. If someone wants to ask why, I simply thought "It would be interesting")


	4. Partial Side Chapter: Intro Song Idea!

WTG Intro:

(So, this is the headcannon version I came up with for an intro for my series. Anything in brackets is what you should picture. The song is Followers by Man With A Mission. This does introduce a character I have yet to introduce in the actual story, but given that she is about to be introduced...I don't feel bad about it)

[Show the Main Characters standing on a rooftop overlooking a ruined city]

[Let music play, and then switch to Tora running through the woods (like in chapter 1)]

Did I really have to see you  
Did I really have to see you go

[Show him looking back, and a dark shadow engulfing the forest behind him]  
Kamonaku fukamonai asu ga bokura o warau  
Do you really have to be there

[Show Mimik there, at his side and giving him his Trigger]  
Do you really have to  
Don't you know

[Show Tora afraid]

[Switch to Daisuke]

Atenonai tabi no arasuji o  
Sou yomi tobashite susumu  
Come and see me when it's over

[Shows him sniping from high ground, spotting several Trion Soldiers charging his way]

They will never capture you and me  
Kakenukete Wohohohoh

[Show him jumping off the building while throwing a grenade at the Trion Soldiers. It explodes in the background as he begins to run]  
May us find the path for what we need  
There you go like a shooting star

[Daisuke takes out a photo of his dead mother, but then it gets blown away in the wind as he starts to cry. However, he then sees the Trion Soldiers surrounding him]  
Hoshi ni naru no sa itsuka wa  
They will never capture you and me  
And again we follow

[The Trion Soldiers get blown away suddenly however by a powerful Meteora strike]

[Switch to Sarah, standing on a ruined building overlooking Daisuke with a Trion Cube in her hand]

Did you really have to linger  
Did you really have to linger on

[The two nod at each other, and then Sarah charges forth while running at a fantastic speed, shooting her Trion cubes at deadly precision and accuracy and using a combination of Meteora, Viper, and Asteroid]  
Kamonaku fukamonai kotae bakari kasabaru  
Do we really have to be here  
Do we really have to We don't know

[She athletically jumps into the air and fires off a huge amount of cubes at the people below, destroying a large amount of Trion soldiers that stood in their way]

[Show some others fighting like Yumi and other canon characters]

Atenonai tabi ni yuku nodato  
Sou iihanatta kimi wa doko ni  
Come and see me when it's over

[Switch back to Tora, standing up as he faces down Kranz and the Guardian]

They will never capture you and me  
Kakenukete Wohohohoh

[Daisuke and Sarah appear at his sides, and hand him his Triggers]  
May us find the path for what we need  
There you go like a shooting star

[Tora activates his neighborhood Trigger first, and charges forward into a huge swarm of enemies using several of his various weapons]  
Hoshi ni naru no sa itsuka wa  
They will never capture us  
And so we choose to follow on

[After expending a lot of his Neighborhood Trigger's weapons, he switches to Border Trigger. Daisuke and Sarah join him in the fight now]

They will never capture you and me  
Kakenukete Wohohohoh

[Tora utilizes his "Magnetic" Disc Shaped Border Trigger, Widow, and uses the discs and cables they are attached to in order to take out enemies at long range or close range]  
May us find the path for what we need  
And again we follow

[Sarah utilizes Bombardment style attacks to cover him and keep pressure on the enemies herself, whether in close range or long. Daisuke snipes them from a distance, while constantly summoning a small trion cube and firing that at the enemies]

They will never capture you and me  
Kakenukete Wohohohohoh

[The trio charge right forward into the darkness, and push it back]  
And I believe  
This is the truth I carry on

[The three of them take out the same picture, a picture of the three of them on the couch smiling after a good day and they smile as well]

They will never capture you and me  
And again we follow

[A number of their friends now also join them, smiling and with weapons raised. They seem to accept all of them, including Tora]  
There you go like a shooting star  
Hoshi ni naru no sa itsunohika

[And fade to black with the three of them smiling at each other]

(I think it works perfectly. What do you guys think? You have any ideas for a better song, or you think this fits well for this story's intro song...you know, if it would have one?)


	5. Tora Rokuda

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 4: Tora Rokuda

(Generic 3rd POV)

"Alright. And now, can you say ahh?"

"Ahhhhhhh".

"Hmmm...not entirely sure what happened to you, but it looks like you are in good health".

"I see..."

"Hey, uhh...don't be sad kid. I am sure someone like you will be just fine".

"...how can I, when my parents died?"

"Uhh...hold on, you know what? Since you have been such a good boy, I will get you some ice cream".

Tora nodded lightly to the nurse as she left, not looking that well. He was certainly recovering, no, fully recovered even. THe reason he did not feel well was because he had just blatantly lied to that nurse.

What Mimik had somehow managed to do in such a short time, which included some time where he went off somewhere and Tora had no clue what he was doing most of the time. But, in about a day, Mimik had managed to provide for him a cover identity, fake parents, various documents and money. But it was not just that, Mimik had actually created fake paper trails, library cards, hell there was even a Netflix account. Internet search histories. However, it was designed so that it was impossible for any living person to contradict, and had plenty of digital records and even produced a few paper ones.

"Mimik. I must say. I am a bit concerned...how did you produce this, what is it, a passport? Isn't this some official government document? And...how did you procure all this...paper? This is really money?"

"Indeed. It is a paper currency. They are called yen in this country. There is also metal coins, but the paper is more valuable. It is used to replace having to carry around large amounts of metal coins, and is more convienent to store and keep track of".

"I see I see...there is a lot I still have to learn about this country if I plan to live here huh?"

"I believe the first step may be to get adopted. It appears there is a system in this country that looks after and monitors children that lack a guardian".

"Errr...Mimik, can we do anything about that? I don't really want to be monitored too closely".

"That is why I think you should get adopted. Luckily, I am working on software to mimic human appearances. If I take the form of a human adult, I could adopt you".

"Oh, I see! That works great!"

Because they couldn't get anyone to claim to be Tora's parents or relatives immediately, the current plan was to pretend he was orphaned during that last attack and then get adopted by Mimik in Human Form, and base themselves out of a large building Mimik ended up buying...somehow. It was actually currently being renovated with everything Tora might need to live, and it appeared he paid a lot of money for it. Oh, and to be safe they also had it set so Tora had partial amnesia.

He still didn't get an answer for how Mimik got this money in the first place.

"Hey! Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"It looks like last night, after all the chaos, some thugs went and robbed all the nearby drug dealers, criminals, and other various types like that and stole all their money! They say the amount missing is so much, its staggering!"

And then it came to him.

"Mimik".

"There is no evidence linking me to such things".

Tora grabbed the white and red drone which had appeared in the air now that the nurse was gone, and pulled him over to stare at him right in his eyes.

"Mimik. Did you, by any chance, go on a crime spree targeting criminals? Is this a bunch of money you took from criminals?"

"No no, I made sure to put the money in the laundry and properly use various procedures to finish the drying, cleaning, and some repairing. This is laundered money, its totally safe and good to use".

"If you say so..."

Tora let go of Mimik and lay back down on his bed, resting. He must have had a number of tests run on him already, but it seemed that there were far more severe cases that no doctor had properly taken a look at him. This was a good thing, because then they might find his scars and realize just what was done to him.

Right now, they were just in the waiting period, so all Tora had to do other then sleep, eat, and watch this strange box that was in his room was question Mimik about stuff.

"Mimik, is there anything I should have?"

"Ah yes, this appears to be a popular device with children your age in this world".

Suddenly, Mimik handed him his first cellphone...and his first connection to the world.

Tora looked at it for a bit, and then blanked.

"Mimik. Teach me how to use this".

"Alright, well you see..."

And so Mimik (who actually was accessing the internet at this time and had several guides open explaining how) explained to Tora just how to work a smarhphone, from making calls to purchasing apps to searching things online to a whole wide variety of functions. The two got totally entranced in it, it took some time before they realized just how long they spent doing this.

So much so that they didn't realize there were people approaching till they were right outside the door.

"Mimik!"

"Rodger!"

Mimik let a small piece of himself fly off and enter Tora's ear as the rest of him his inside the large bag carrying all of their ill gotten possessions.

RIght as they finished, a man walked in wearing some strange eyewear around his neck, a blueish jacket, a carefree face, and holding a bag of...

"Mimik, what are those?"

"Rice Crackers".

...rice crackers entered. Tora needed to whisper to Mimik to have him tell that last part though.

But then someone else came right in after him.

"Jin-sempai, you cant just barge into people's rooms like this!"

"Relax relax. Yo, how ya doin?"

Tora honestly had no idea to do in this situation. Relying on his Mimik (cheat), he just stared at them with a look of utmost confusion and shock.

The girl didn't look like a relative of this Jin person, and when she saw Tora she immediately apologized.

"I am sorry for intruding! My name is Sarah Williams, and this idiot here is Jin-sempai. We are members of Border".

Hearing that, Tora's heart skipped a beat and he nearly panicked and activated his Trigger. After all, Border would consider him a threat too. Especially given just how responsible he was for bringing all of this danger to them. Even with his abilities and Side Effect, he made that mistake. Mimik told him it was another sign he was a human, but Tora was not so sure he was anymore.

However, that was also how he realized quickly they didn't seem to mean any harm, and considered the possibility they were just friendly people.

Before they could get to anything though, yet another voice called out to them. And this time, it was someone that Tora recognized.

"Jin-sempai? What are you doing here?"

"Jin-sempai? What is an S-Rank like yourself doing here?"

The moment he heard that familiar term, before he could even ask, Mimik whispered it into Tora's ear.

"S-Rank appears to be a Rank within Border. They appear to be some sort of super elite above the elite. It is likely that they utilize Black Triggers".

"I see..."

While Mimik explained things to him, the two people, Daisuke and Yumi walked into the room.

"I could ask the same. What are you two doing here?"

"Well you see, since we put so much work into saving this hospital yesterday, I wanted to come and visit. Make sure everything is okay. What are you and Sarah-san doing here?"

"Well, we kinda got interested in the hospital for the same reason, especially when we saw the reports. So I kind of felt I **had** to come here".

"Oh. And, who is this kid?"

"Someone who apparently got orphaned by the Neighbor attack the other day..."

"Oh that's so sa..."

"...and who I was thinking of adopting".

"WHAAAAT!?" (Everyone, including Tora and even Mimik to some extent though he managed to do it subtly, screamed this).

"Well I kind of felt bad for the kid you know?"

Yumi and Daisuke both looked at Tora, and then back at Jin with suspicious looks.

"Are you responsible enough to take care of a child?"

"Relax relax, I am the Super Elite Jin!"

"Well, he already takes care of Konami-sempai".

Sarah, who had been inching out of that conversation, came over to Tora. Looking at her, Tora realized she couldn't be that much older then him. One, maybe two years.

And then...she just poked his cheek, and Tora suddenly perceived a great danger as she wrapped herself around him.

Tora almost responded to it as an attack until she kissed him on the cheek. Mimik then finally spoke up inside his ear where only Tora could hear.

"I believe this is a Mideen expression of affection known as a 'Hug'. It is not a combat, capture, or subdue tactic".

 _You sure its not a subdue tactic! She is putting a lot of force on this!_

"S...Sarah?"

Finally, she let go of Tora with a delighted expression on her face.

"Sorry sorry, its just. This guy is so cute. Hey, hey. Jin-sempai. How about instead of adopting him, we just recruit him into Tamakoma Branch as a Border agent and have him stay there? I mean, look at him. He actually has it, the characteristics of a protagonist. This silver/white hair, those ruby red eyes! The shortness! I guarantee having a cute boy like him on our side would work out perfectly!"

Although she seemed oddly ecstatic and focused on some strange parts, it seemed she wanted to recruit Tora into Border now.

"Well, we can do both cant we? Although, I already expedited the paperwork so I am already his legal guardian".

"Wait, WHAT?!

And so the sheer spree of unreasonableness continued onward.

* * *

(Tora POV)

After I escaped to the bathroom to change into my street clothes, and also because I actually had to go to the bathroom, Mimik came out of my ear as I went.

"Uhhh...Tora, do you want to wa..."

"No. Multi-task. Explain, is this true?"

"I checked the records, and yes. Somehow he managed to circumvent reason itself and adopt you".

"Wait, he seriously did that?"

"No, I was pranking you. But he did expidate the process immensely using Border's name and his own. To a degree that certainly was unreasonable. The chances of him knowing who you are is high".

"How could he?"

"Perhaps it is a Side Effect similar to your own?"

When I considered that, it could make sense. But for now, since there was no sense of danger and no indication he knew who we were, I decided to play along. Well, and also...

"These bathrooms...they are actually really nice and well maintained..."

"...indeed..."

I couldn't help but marvel at Mideen's advancements and abilities. We also got a bit distracted by the flushing technology for a second, but quickly got dressed and returned to the others. Since it was currently believed I was under some depression that I was just trying to make myself look strong when I was actually afraid, although what they perceived was actually just me feeling guilty for lying to them, they decided to take me to someplace fun.

And so for what that place was...

"Karaoke?"

"It appears to be some form of group entertainment were songs and music are provided and then one can perform to them. It appears to be one of the more popular recreational activities for groups together".

"Ah, I see".

Sarah seemed really excited though, as she had not let go of my hand this whole time and couldn't stop talking about the "White hair red eyes phenomenon". I wasn't even really to fully follow along, she was so excited and talking so fast it was hard to really understand. However, it didn't help that I was mesmerized by everything I saw. Vehicles, roads, sidewalks, buildings. Streetlights, cell phones, and all this clothing. Mimik got me some clothing to fit in as well, but the way it was made was incredible.

I mean, how could I not be amazed at everything they had? I was raised in a small room with no window, little to do but listen in on what everyone else was saying and try to learn and follow along, and run combat exercises? To me who had just gained freedom, this world was wonderful. Full of marvel and comfort. Even as we crossed the street, I was still in...

 _Danger!_

I instinctively grabbed Sarah's arm and pulled her away while diving out of the way myself. Just as I did, some weirdly malfunctioning vehicle sped past and was just a few inches away from hitting us. If I had not pulled us back in time, it would have hit us and at that speed we would have been killed.

"Are you two okay?!"

"Tora-kun?! Sarah-san?!"

As the two of us got to our feet, Sarah put on a sweet smile and reassured them.

"It's okay! Tora-chan was able to notice and pull me away in time, unlike a certain sempai".

"Hey hey, I knew it would be fine".

Sarah narrowed her eyes at Jin, before shrugging it off. It seemed that as Border Agents constantly had to deal with danger, they were quickly able to get over the incident and we managed to successfully arrive at this Karaoke place. And of course...

"Tora-chan should sing first!"

"I think Tora-kun should go first".

"I agree! Singing can really help cheer people up".

"Don't sweat it Tora-kun, you will do fine".

And then, Mimik in his ear said...

"This will really help you bond with these people, which could help you in the long run".

 _...you...hold on, that feels like an excuse?! Do you just want to hear me sing too, Mimik?!_

"Alright, alright then".

Looking at the list of songs, I eventually chose Followers by Man With A Mission (Because obviously the theme song must be chosen!).

And so I began singing...

"...they will never capture you and me! And again we follow!"

Somewhere along the line I started moving my body a bit in the process to go with the rythem. It was not dancing, not really! It was just me going along with the music!

It was not cute in any such way!

"So cute..."

 _DAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMNNNNN IITTTTTTTTTTT!_

But I kept singing because I really liked this song.

"They will never capture us! And so we choose to follow on!"

Something about this song just felt so good and right. In a way, it represented my story (oh silly Tora, thinking it only fits your story) perfectly. I wanted to never be captured, to always be free and follow through on my path. And I wanted to believe not in the truth they forced on me, but the truth I carried on myself.

"And I believe! In the truth I carry on!"

That was why right now, I was not even a bit cautious with the people around me. Right now, I truly felt alive, free, and happy. It all felt good and wonderful, and this song really did end up helping to cheer me up.

When I finally finished the song, everyone stated applausing me. It was so sudden and unexpected, I was almost unsure of what to do. It was the first time anyone ever showed appreciation towards what I did after all. The scientists always complained me and the other subjects were going too slow, or just never told us anything but orders. I saw other scientists get applause for their efforts though, great appreciation towards them. How they reacted and felt. But this was the first time I myself ever truly felt it.

"Tora-chan...you are crying. Were you really that nervous about singing?"

"No...its just, I only met you all today but you have all been so kind. Giving me a place to sleep, promising to help take care of me...its just, maybe its because I am missing some of my memories, or most of htem, but...I just cant help but wonder how lucky I got compared to everyone else".

"Well, you should be careful around Jin. He tends to use people you see".

Sarah then told me something ominous.

"What do you mean?"

But the one who walked up to me was Jin, not Sarah, and he just smiled at me as he handed me a bag of rice crackers.

"You see, I possess the Side Effect to see into the future. And well, lets just say no matter what, I only see the best futures if you are happy and with us, Tora-kun. But I do also honestly want to help you as well. You see, I am not from any Border branch. Me and Sarah are from Tamakoma branch. We are considered oddballs though, because we have this belief you see".

He then went and kneeled down to eye level with me, looking me right in the eyes. I was not aware of this, but Mimik had totally misread the situation and thought Jin was going to do something different at first so he had weapons prepared. It appeared while I was singing and traveling, he had accessed the internet and started reading a lot of media en mass...is what he called it, but he actually was just reading a ton of manga.

"We believe not all neighbors are bad, that there are good neighbors too...and that we could ally with them and help each other".

"...re...really?"

I was sure of it now. The reason why I was confused. I knew he was in Border, and I was sure he was aware of who I was. But I never sensed danger from him once. For you see, I also possess a Side Effect. And that was Danger Sense, the ability to sense danger. It was why I could calm myself so easily when they said they were from Border and not overreact. It was why I could save Sarah-neechan from getting hit by that car. It was why I could constantly pick up Marmod blades and sense which ones came at me and which did not.

It was not an omnipotent ability. But while I was not aware of it yet, it was the exact inverse of Jin's power. Jin could use his ability to predict future outcomes, and what he would need to do to push things his way. But choices would constantly change his visions, and in battle while it was kind of helpful it did not mean he could predict every attack the enemy might make and overcome it. Although with Fujin he was able to fight against his rival easily, if they were equals even with his Side Effect he could win along with his skill and power.

Mine was in a sense the opposite. Where Jin's might not be as effective in a full on fight as his own decisions would then also change what the enemy did, mine would excel there. I would sense an enemy's attack, and often even get a vague idea of what the danger was. Of course, sensing the danger and avoiding it were two different things. Just because I knew something was coming did not mean I would always be able to perfectly deal with it or dodge it, and the more attacks that came at me at once the harder it was to differentiate and deal with.

In that sense, me and Jin had the same problem with our prediction abilities. The more factors, the harder it was to put in our favor. Not unless those factors were beneficial for us and working in our favor.

And then he whispered in my ear...

"By the way, meeting those two was actually low odds...but, they knew as well the moment they saw us together and saw my actions...Sarah always knew though as she is in Tamakoma with me..."

I froze, looking behind him at Daisuke and Yumi. Yumi was giving me a curious but somewhat warm gaze, while Daisuke who seemed kind on the surface looked a bit conflicted now that I gave a more thorough and factored observation.

"So then..."

"Yeah, we all know".

Yumi outright answered. It appeared she had figured out what we were talking about.

"I see...sorry about lying to you".

"Well, it's okay. I gotta give you credit though, you did a great job acting..."

"Actually that was the guilt of my lying you saw..."

"Oh. Well, I suppose it proves we were right not to raise an alarm. Seeing as you were a good person".

They knew. They were all from Border, they all knew I was a neighbor this whole time. They knew I was lying about my sob story, and who knows what else. But they still treated me kindly. They treated me with such respect. They...they...forgave me...

"I am sorry. For causing all that trouble the other day!"

"Trouble?"

Sarah was a bit confused when I said that.

"The Neighbor attack. Originally, they had no plans to go to Mideen despite it being in range. I heard that Mideen...well, that it had a Border that separated it from the Neighborhood. That the people beyond that Border were protected, hard if not impossible to take now. I thought if I came here...I thought that maybe I could be safe. That I could be happy. But instead, I caused so much issues. They would have never come, never hurt anyone if it was not for me!"

I was now crying for a different reason as I confessed what happened.

"Well, it's okay. You were running for your life right? You had no idea..."

Although Sarah started to console me, I could see the conflicted faces on Yumi and Daisuke. Likely, they remembered how I reacted yesterday...how I ran away after that thing appeared, and the words that were said. And to be honest, I did not want to hide this from them anyways.

"No. I think even if I did know what would happen, I still would have done the same exact thing. That is why I really hate myself".

Sarah was a bit taken aback, while Yumi and Daisuke looked like they had conflicted emotions. They didn't quite know what to think about what I said, but the fact I did not hide it surprised and impressed them.

"You see...they were conditioning, experimenting on me...more like torturing me, to turn me into that Champion thing they have".

Once I said that, the group turned into a look of shocks. Even Jin seemed to be unable to hold back his shock.

"I would do anything, everything I could to avoid that fate. I still will. Even if that means killing myself...even if it meant they would keep attacking again and again. I will never go back. I am sorry, I feel really bad about this. Its why...I want to accept".

As the others looked a bit shocked, I turned towards Jin and gave him a resolute expression.

"I am sorry, but I can never say that I would not make that same decision again and again even knowing the destruction it brought here. I am terrified of becoming one of those things, so much that I would rather die. So if they look like they are going to capture me...please kill me first. But I am not going to let other people fight my battles before me. So, that offer from before. To join Border. I want to accept. Please allow me to join Border under you, as a member of Tamakoma Branch!"

I told him that with all my might, all my determination. I had already decided, this was the best way to do things. If I was going to be bringing trouble to these people because of my desire not just to live, but at the very least not become a Champion, then I knew the only way I could balance the scales was do everything I could to help defend this place.

That was why I knew I had to join Border.

Daisuke looked like he had come to a conclusion as well about something.

Yumi looked happy and approving of what I had decided.

Sarah looked like she was sad, realizing what my past must have been like...and like I was her little brother she had to help and protect.

And Jin, Jin had a strangely serious expression on his face with a smile that was not as goofy as his normal one. It was more meaningful.

Mimik was also floated up next to him and also nodded at my determination.

"Very well, Tora Rokuda. Although its not official yet, welcome to Tamakoma Branch. Pleasure to work with you".

And so the six of us sort of stood still there in that moment, letting it sink in. That is, until...

"Wait! Where did that thing come from!"

Daisuke finally noticed Mimik. Ah right, I had yet to explain that to them! Alright, we can just make up for the rest of this moment with more heartwarming moments later! I quickly began to calm everyone down and then explain about Mimik, my Autonomous Trion Soldier friend.

* * *

Author Question: Alright, so everyone who reads this! I want to know what everything thinks so far about the OCs, and maybe how I introduced some canon characters for my fanfic? I especially want to know how you like Tora, Daisuke, Sarah, and Mimik! So what do you guys think? If everyone who reads this leaves a review about what they thing, whether they are a guest or a registered member, I would greatly appreciate it!

Author Note: So much feels...I think I nearly cried or did cry several times during this chapter...that last part especially. Right, wont spoil too much about the next chapter, but if my inspiration works properly I will say it will help expand Sarah's character and backstory a bit more!


	6. Sarah Williams

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 5: Sarah Williams

Disclaimer: Sarah has evolved all on her own as a character. Even I cant stop my imagination sometimes...her passion for knowledge and information can lead to scary and easily misunderstood things. But also kind of funny things.

However, I think that despite all the various times I thought and rethought about how to do this chapter, it really helped show Sarah's bravery, kindness, determination, and intelligence. And how far she would go to help someone she thought needed help.

(Sarah POV)

I honestly never thought it would happen so quickly after joining Border. I certainly did not expect it to be under these circumstances on the first time. And nor did I expect one of the few I was seeking to be so young, adorable, and have the standard white hair and red eyes combo!

My name is Sarah, and I am a new recently promoted B-Rank agent in the Tamakoma Branch. I originally lived in America, but now my entire family has moved to Japan after first learning the language completely to smooth things over and we now reside in Mikado City. Or as my family calls it, the Border of Two Worlds.

First off, before we continue with this story, allow me to explain more about myself and why I am crazy in love with Tora. No, I am not into kids...even if I am a kid myself still at fourteen. So honestly a relationship with someone who is only like two or three years apart I do not see as an issue. However, I fell him love with him when I first heard who he was not for those stupid reasons. Nor was it just because he had white hair and red eyes, and was short, which fit the archetype of mainy main characters in manga and anime.

The reason I fell in love with him was simple. He is a boy who knows about the other world. The Neighborhood.

You see, my family is a family of sociologists, historians, and such. We love studying the cultures and histories of other civilizations, and sometimes our own. So when we heard that a door to another world had open? Containing dozens and maybe even hundreds of unstudied cultures, histories, and such? Well, I was already into following my parent's footsteps. I immediately wanted to race right over and join Border so that I could eventually meet those people.

When we saw videos and reports about the Neighbors...no, the Trion Soldiers, and then we heard how Border fought them back using their own technology we knew there was more to it. We knew that those things were not the real Neighbors, but in truth just weapons built by them. As sociologists, we could clearly see no sign of reproduction ability on any of the forms seen. And if Border was able to fight them off and get this tech like they did, it meant that it had to be usable by people. BUt instead of bringing out their own large forms, they just brought out weapons and abilities made from Trion?

We could put two and two together, and realized that those big things were robots or weapons just created by the real Neighbors. Likely humanoid Neighbors. Which meant culture, history, and all of that untouched by any sociologist and historian ever before. Entire droves of history that had yet to be introduced to our world.

Even if they were not humanoid, that would still likely be the case so we would get something out of this anyways, not to mention play our part in defending the world.

That is why I could not help but bring myself to fall in love with Tora. Even if he was not thirteen yet, what made me interested in him with everything in his head.

And then, I heard on the way about what Daisuke, Yosuke, and Yumi had reported about the conversation between him and the scientist. And my love grew more from compassion and sympathy. Or maybe I was just extremely interested in him before, and that was what made it love?

And then, when I saw that head...that face. He wore a strong expression, but I could see traces of pain. He covered it, and even contantly moved to prevent light from hitting in the right spot, but I could see traces of scars just kept out of view. Normal people might not spot them, but as someone who studied to observe and research I could notice them easily. And I felt slightly guilty about originally just thinking of him as a source of information. And so such feelings manifested into love.

Its not like I wanted him like that, I am not that weird or a pervert. I swear! Stop looking at me like that!

But I loved him all the same. For his courage, his ability to want for himself, to hope. And that he wasn't one of those idiots who would blindly sacrifice and wear himself out helping others, while still desiring to do the right thing. After all that happened to him, one could not really blame him if he hated all people and trusted no one.

And then of course, what made my affection grow even bigger was introducing Mimik to me. Speaking of which, back to the present.

"Yay! It is so nice to meet you, Mimik-sensei!"

"Sensei?"

"It means teacher, Tora".

"Ah, thank you Mimik. Actually, that does fit you rather well. You are always helping to teach me new things, like how you launder money. To think it would be so easy though that all you had to do is throw money in something called a laundry machine..."

The group of us looked at Tora and Mimik with strange looks, and then notably Tora looked puzzled while Mimik looked away. Likely with a bit of guilt.

"Uhh...that was actually a prank. A joke. That is not really how you do it..."

"HUUUUUHHH?!

Tora, who was totally caught off guard by that, stared down Mimik.

"You are supposed to be my friend!"

"I am Tora. According to media of this world, along with sticking up for each other and teaching each other things, friends also sometimes play jokes and pranks on each other, such as locking them outside naked, putting a rubber device on their seat when they are not looking to mimic gas releasement, and making them believe things that are not true at all".

Although Mimik said some fairly dangerous things there, it seemed he had properly done his research. However...

"Normally they don't let that deception last too long though. Well, it really depends on what it is".

"Oh, I see. I will need to be careful in the future".

"Wait wait...how did the topic of laundering money come up?"

"Uhhh..."

Everyone looked towards the bag that Mimik had come out of, and noticed quite a bit of cash.

"How do you..."

"Wait wait".

Daisuke interrupted Yumi before this got out of hand.

"I vaguely recall hearing on the news this morning about a lot of criminals and corrupt rich people getting robbed last night".

"Oh I see".

Jin said that as he looked at the money, and then the embarrassed and ashamed Tora and the not as hard to read as one might think Mimik.

"Well then, this is probably all unrelated right?"

"I agree. I see no connection".

"Wai...oh. Uhh, yeah. No problem".

"I am pretty sure that is the savings recovered from his 'parents' home right?"

With everyone reaching a consensus of ignoring the elephant in the room, we decided to move on to the next topic. Or well, I decided to force the next topic as I was overwhelmed by my curiosity.

"Okay, Tora! I gotta know! How many countries are there in the Neighborhood? If you don't know, how many do you know? What are the various types of governments that you know of? What is the food like? Is it different for each planet nation? What sports do they have? What is your favorite kind of food? What kind of technology do they have over us and what is less developed then us?! Is there government agencies that monitor disease, children, and such? Are there different languages in the Neighborhood? What are they? Do you actually know Japanese, or do you have some sort of translator inside you? Do Neighbors have the same amount of organs as us? Do they selectively breed people that have high Trion levels with each other to produce children with high Trion levels? How cute do you think I am? Want to sleep at my house? What holidays do they have over on the other side? What religions? Monotheistic or polytheistic? What do you be...mrglmrhhh!"

I bombarded Tora with a variety of questions, non stop without anyone really able to get a word in to stop me or my curiosity. Tora who was the subject of that bombardment seemed to find himself getting dizzy from the sheer mass of questions. But I was so curious, I could not sotp myself. An entire culture separate from our world, who knew what the differences might be? But eventually part way through, someone came up from behind and covered my mouth to make me stop. Well, if they didn't I might have gone on for awhile longer.

"Come on now Sarah-chan, isn't that too much for our new friend? I doubt he can even remember that many questions..."

Suddenly Tora, who recovered from the confusion, started answering (with some support from Mimik) the questions.

"No one is sure, there are a number of ones that do not follow the regular rotations of most Planet Nations. I think I have heard of at least a dozen or two. There are all sorts of governments, from domocr...sorry, democracies, republics, monarchs, dictatorships, religious states. There are often differences in food for each Planet Nation. I...don't know the sports...but I...I guess sweet food is my favorite? At least, that lollipop I got from the nurse was nice. It depends on each planet nation, but I think in everywhere except Trion based technology you have most if not all beat. I know the beds and clothes made here are the best and quite heavenly. Dunno about the agencies...err, well some should have a few. As for language...I don't know. I don't think I have a translator though? Or does the Trigger have one? And organs..."

Tora seemed to pause for a moment at that one, and looked a bit distressed for a second. But he took some deep breaths.

"No, they have the same amount I think. Yes, they do use selective breeding. Very. Sure, I don't have anywhere else right now. Not sure about the holidays, or religions. I never got to enjoy those...wait, hold on..."

Suddenly, Tora seemed to notice something. And then he blushed a brilliant shade of red. I just smiled and started to write down all his answers in the notebook, making sure to organize them in different sections based on the topic.

"H..hol on, in all that mix of questions...there were some..."

He turned back to me, and seemed to notice me writing something in a notebook. He decided to peek over my shoulder without me noticing...or he tried to anyways, but he was shorter then me. Not only was he two years younger, he was also short for a boy of his age anyways. And while I was not too tall myself, I had begun her growth spurt already unlike Tora. It was a hopeless attempt, though it was kind of comedic.

"Hey hey, what are you writing?!"

"Just writing down the answers you were able to give so I can remember them~"

"You tricked me! There were dangerous questions in there!"

"Sorry, I cant hear you well right now. Too happy that you called me very cute~"

"Uwa! No no no! None of you! None of you can say a word about this! To anyone! In fact, you heard nothing!"

"Going to gossip this with all my friends~"

"Noooooo!"

Suddenly Jin came over and shook his head. Looks like he decided to come and end my fun.

"You know that, since we decided not to report you, at least not until we can make sure you wont get harmed by others, she cant actually share any of that anyways right? She is just teasing you".

"That...that is not funny!"

"I thought it kind of was. Anyways, I will be stealing him away for tonight Jin! Besides, if you just randomly brought people to the base even if its in good will, it would be bad right? You should go check things with Chief Rindo".

"Well, I suppose you are right. Besides, I have to go meet a few people about some stuff. So I cant bring him with me right now anyways. We should be ready for him tomorrow though, bring him to Tamakoma Branch then".

"Got it! I will make sure to look after him till then!"

After saying that, Jin had a content look on his face while I got extremely excited. Asking questions was only one way to gather information, seeing a Neighbor in a non-combat envirornment might reveal some unexpected gains and information! Jin just seemed to nod and then headed towards the door. However, he stopped suddenly as he reached the doorknob.

"Oh right, Daisuke-kun right?"

"Yes, Jin-sempai?"

"Why don't you join Tamakoma Branch as well? You could form a team with those two after all. Based on what we saw from before, Tora seems to be an attacker and Sarah is a Shooter. If you joined them as a sniper, you would have a well balanced team".

And with that final suggestion, which sounded like it might be a bit more then that, he opened the door and left, shutting it behind him.

"...you think he is telling you something based on his Side Effect again?"

"Probably..."

"Its a good idea. You already know what Tora can do, and Sarah was already accepted into Tamakoma so she clearly must have some skill. Plus, you get to work with Konami-sempai!"

Yumi immediately encouraged Daisuke to accept the idea, stating that it would help him finally form a team and that it would even be well balanced. It was certainly true that the formation would be well balanced, and that once Tora joined border and achieved B-Rank it would let him participate in the B-Rank Wars. I certainly wanted that too, because I wanted to become A-Rank so I could go on the away missions. It could provide first hand experience with cultures no other aspiring sociologist had ever seen.

Also would let me maybe find some friendly nations and people to converse with like Tora.

Quickly taking Tora's hand while thinking of that, I nodded to Daisuke-kun.

"I agree. I hope you do that. I think the three of us together would make quite the team. Anyways, come on Tora! We have a lot to do!"

"A lot to do?"

A bit worried by those words, Tora gave me a look of concern. Well, its not like I had anything immoral planned so it was fine right? But there was something that needed to be done no matter what. And under the wrong pretenses, they might mistake my scientific, intellectual, and cultural desires as something completely different.

However, Tora's look of concern quickly found itself fading away as we stepped onto the method of going to my place...a train. Because we ended up walking quite a bit away from my house, it was quicker to take a train to a station that happened to be located nearby then just walking. But the moment he saw the train, and stepping on board, and then when it left the station...he looked just like a normal kid. It was really cute.

I also couldn't help but find it amusing that he had the white hair and red eyes combo that I always see in anime and manga. The sign of a main character...but also a near guarantee of tragedy. Which is why I had to make sure he knew he could trust me, to make sure we had that bond that surpassed normal limits and reason. Even if I had to be a bit unreasonable and force it. And it was not just the white hair and red eyes that made me think that. Even though he was trying to open up to us, it was clear to me just how much he had been hurt in the past. That he was a captive of those experiments...and the faint marks I saw on the bits of skin I could see.

I had to see more. I had to know more. Jin was too goofy, he would not be good at all this. Maybe Rindo or Shiori could do it, but Rindo was unlikely to be too busy...and Shiori was maybe a bit too emotional to be the one for this. Someone needed to break the ice with Tora.

If someone didn't, who knows what could linger under the front he was putting up.

Well, maybe my own feelings were mixing in ever so slightly, but it did not change the fact he was hiding his. Besides, this was a test for me as well. Since this would likely be a lot harder for me.

Once we finally got to my house, I unlocked the door and let him and Mimik in. I quickly shut the door right after and made sure it was locked, before looking at the clock.

"It seems its not too late. Good, we have plenty of time to wait before dinner".

"Wait? What do...ahh?"

Quickly taking his hand and holding tightly, I begin to take him towards the bathroom.

"Isn't it obvious? You need a bath!"

"A...a...bath?"

"Lets see. I am guessing the hospital never got around to having the time to deal with that for you, given the Neighbor invasion. But, tell me. Today and yesterday you did not have one. And I am betting you did not bathe regularly when you were held captive by that madman either right?"

"Well its been over a wee...no, I don't need one!"

"Like hell you don't! You might have been distracted, but the smell is quite noticeable to all the others! I need to give you a good, proper bath!"

Suddenly, Tora's face lit up in red.

"W..wait?! Give me?! And...cant it wait?! I mean, it will be really unpleasant and I need mental pre..."

"No, you are taking it right now! So stop resisting!"

As we made it into the bathroom, Tora put up a struggle...but I had size on my side. I was able to pick him up with one arm and then pull his clothes off, which had managed to absorb some of his stink and reeked, as I was able to turn the faucet on with one foot using my amazing balance so that it would fill up to the right temperature. While it was filling up, I made Tora sit down so I could rinse him off, while he was red...but more then just embarrassed, he was also ashamed.

"I kind of figured this was what you were hiding".

I told him that as I rinsed his body. I was not interested in his body in that sense, though if I am being honest I find people with his body type more pleasant then those muscular obsessed freaks. Someone who is small, wont crush me, and is not acting all stuck up, macho, and tough...but I had no interest in doing anything even remotely near rated M with him.

What I was interested in were the scars. Based on what I heard, I had a good feeling that I would find stuff like this. Apparently, they were turning people into some sort of new type of Trion Soldier called Champions. Apparently it could take a hit from Konami-sempai and not get instantly destroyed, or even took serious damage. And they wanted to make an army of those things. So I suspected...that I would see something like this.

They did a good job of patching it up, but you had to see his completely naked body like I could right now to truly see the damage. There were faint lines. You couldn't notice unless you went looking for it, but occasionally they pulsed a glow similar to the light of Trion energy. And there were scars all over. They did a good job hiding them, given that even when I got him naked with my keen eyes it took me awhile to notice all of them. There were enough scars to indicate over a dozen or two operations done on him. I couldn't be sure of their purpose, but when I forced his body to turn around a few were located where it was believed the Trion Gland was located.

"Ummm...Sarah-neechan? Why are you..."

"Yes yes, lets get into the bath now..."

"Wait, together?!"

"Oh come now, you are still quite young and we need to talk, honestly".

"Hold it hold it aren't you going too fa..."

I sort of forced him into the bath and then got in next to him. I am sure it was awkward. Anyone else and I wouldn't do this. But...if anyone else saw the damage I saw, not only would they understand...a few of them, even people in Border, might puke when they saw and understood what happened to this boy.

"This is a trial. Trust me, as a girl this is a lot harder for me..."

"I am not so sure about that..."

"Well then, tell me. Do you trust us? No, rather...do you trust people?"

Caught off guard by this question, Tora looked at me with a shocked face.

"What do you mean? It is not like..."

"You might be able to say that to the others, but you were trapped in some hellish science lab. No one ever came to get you, and you hacked an ATS not to serve you, but to be your friend. That says a lot...like, you didn't think you would make a friend, at least not easily, that you could trust. Not unless you hacked that person...that Trion Soldier...to be your friend. You wore a helmet because you did not believe anyone would believe your story and you did not want to be recognized as you did not trust how people would react to a literal hero. You did not trust the system to help you, instead organizing a huge backstory as well as a fake adoption I bet. And I bet the moment we entered my house, the reason after you took off your shoes you walked on ahead was to look for an alternate escape route. 'Just in case'. Right?"

Tora was originally red in the face from embarrassment, but as I called him out on everything he showed no sign of denying it. In this bathtub, with each of us fully exposed, there was a sense where we had to be honest and direct. That was the feeling I wanted to create, a level of bonding that surpassed normalcy.

"Tora. Look at me. Just like you are butt naked in this bathtub, I am also fully exposed here. If you wanted to, you could grab my neck and choke my out. Mimik could come in and use his weapons to kill me as I have no defenses. Just like you. Just like me. You could kill me any time I want, but I trust you not to".

"Bu...but, I would never!"

"And do you think I would do that to you?"

"...ah..."

Tora tried to answer, but found himself lost for words. He wanted to say of course not, but then again that would not be true. I could read this all clearly. Including the fact there was something deeper in. I grabbed his wrists and put them against the wall so he couldn't run away like I realized he was about to, and made him look right into my eyes as I spoke.

"Rather, there is something else. Your secret. What you are really afraid of...what are you really afraid of that terrifies you so much? I can see it all over your face".

He started to cry as he mumbled something.

"Speak clearer...come on, just tell me..."

I let him go as I used a gentler approach now. I was already victorious, this was it.

"...I am afraid...that you will call me a freak...that I am not human, but a monster...because of everything they did to me. Because of what happened as a result. Because of just how much of a freak I really am..."

In that moment, I considered all of my options. It took me only a second to think of an idea...but it would change this totally innocent and hearwarming situation into something really perverted possibly and misunderstood. It was a huge risk. But I had no choice. He needed to realize the truth.

"You know, in fairy tails, it is said a freak can be turned human if given a kiss on the lips..."

And then I did it. But it would never leave this room. Ever. Ever. I am not that kind of person...I am sure of it...

"Look at that, you did not change. You were a human all along".

"But...hold on, that is just...and these scars..."

"So what? They are not that bad. Hell, they make you look tough as well as cute..."

"Would you stop calling me cute?!"

"The point is Tora, you are not a freak..."

I told him this as I got out of the bath, and then offered him a hand to help him up.

"Because a freak, they don't have the ability to be self conscious about it. And they would not have the ability to help people".

And I saw it. On his face. A spark, a realization. Hope, goodness. And trust.

He was on the brink this whole time. But I did it. He can be a kid again. And now, he can be a Border Agent too.

"Now come on. Lets throw on some PJs, curl up on the couch, and watch some classic movies. We need to catch you up on some stuff".

"Yes!"

And so, the two of us had a much more normal rest of the night...and I could finally take out the noseplugs I had in since the hospital! He really did smell badly, my guess is that he had not had a bath in over two weeks at least.

"Wait...Sarah-neechan?"

"Yes?"

"Not that I am complaining, it was much more pleasant...but why was that bathwater warm?"

"What do you mean, baths are always supposed to be warm..."

"Oh...its just, when they made me have one, they would always use water that felt freezing cold..."

"Was that why you were so averse to it in the beginning?"

"Yeah".

"...I see, I need to see if I can get Jin and Tamakoma-1 together with us. We clearly need to take you to a hot springs..."

And so some time in the future, it was also confirmed eventually we would take Tora to the hot springs. Though not immediately.

(Well, the second half was a bit...different. But, it brought out several traits of Sarah rather nicely. Glad to see I was able to keep the chapter focused and centered on her. FUN FACT: Her treatment of Tora is more like an owner and a pet then anything else. How did you guys like her character development, such as her kindness, her intelligence, and her determination to do what is needed to help someone? What does everyone think of Sarah?)


	7. Miwa Squad

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 6: Miwa Squad

AN: That Sarah...she may just be the most dangerous one, evolving even further without my permission...also, a bit more is revealed about Tora's Neighborhood Trigger! No, it is not the same as Yuma's! There is a fundamental difference!

(Tora POV)

"So beautiful…to think despite what happened here, what keeps happening here, they still keep on and create this beautiful scenery".

I stood out on the balcony, basking in the midnight's full moon. The movie was already over, and Sarah had ended up falling asleep herself already. Even though she was older then me, she had fallen asleep first. But to be honest, I was pretty close myself. What had kept me up longer was just these feelings I had inside me.

All I was wearing was my pyjamma pants, my upper body exposed to the moonlight. In Mideen's moonlight, it seemed that my scars were actually a bit more noticeable. The reason I was only wearing the lower half was because Sarah insisted as a boy I didn't need the upper half and that she thought it would help me if I didn't hide my scars.

Actually, because she already saw me completely naked she pointed out that since I was not even thirteen I could just sleep completely naked, but we compromised on the top half. Although…I got a strange feeling she actually said that just to have me compromise that much. Although…then she asked a difficult question.

"Actually, I am a bit curious. How long were you trapped in that facility? You have a concept of shame and embarrassment, and clearly some idea of normalcy if lacking a vital common sense. What was your life before the lab?"

That was a difficult question for me. I actually don't have any memories before the lab, I think it was the scientists somehow, they…did something to me. Well, they did a lot, but that is what I thought. I knew I lived somewhere else in the Neighborhood before the lab, but I had no idea where.

I only remember being inside that lab since I was seven, for the past four of five years. I knew there was something before, but I had no idea what it was. That was how much they took from me. Not only did they take my childhood, my life, they also took my memories. The faces and names of my parents. Any siblings or friends I had before I was taken.

How many of those people in there could actually be connected my past, and I had no idea? Did I also abandon my past, running here?

But in the end, I knew I would make the same choices every single time. Because I would never, could never become that thing.

"Tora".

"Oh, hey Mimik".

Interrupting my train of thought, Mimik flew out from the door behind me and flew out. And then…I felt a pair of hands pull my pants down?!

"S..Sarah?"

She let go so I pulled them back up, but that was completely out of nowhere. As I did, she flicked my nose.

"And don't think I will let you pull away either. Let that be a reminder for you, if you try to pull away and regress on the progression you made today, we will retaliate".

"We? Mimik, did you…"

"You were making a nice and peaceful expression before, but then I noticed it becoming complicated. As your friend, I like it better when you are happy rather then when you torment yourself. The past is the past, but you made a plan for the future to make it better right?"

Hearing those words, I recalled my decision to join Border.

As Mimik finished reminding me of my words, Sarah then took my hands.

"And also, that does not mean it has to be unpleasant. We can have fun while doing this. A lot of fun. So, don't you dare try to leave us out and sulk got it?"

Hearing those words, I found myself smiling once more as I looked forward to the morning.

"Now come on, let's crawl into bed and get some sleep".

"W…wait, together?"

"Of course, you have never slept together overnight with a friend right? We call those sleepovers here. And I have already seen you naked, so you should be less embarrassed with me. Besides, my parents are currently out of the country doing a study, so we can use their bed. It is actually extremely comfortable".

Hearing those words bribed the part of my brain that was embarrassed and got overwritten by my memories of the hospital bed, and so we departed for that large, soft, comfortable bed. It was worth it. So worth it. It truly was a heavenly bed.

* * *

(Daisuke POV)

Dai was really racking his brain over how to handle the situation. On one hand, he couldn't be sure entirely about what Tora was saying, if he was telling the truth. There was also the fact he fully admitted even if he knew the consequences he would make the same decision again and again. But there was also the fact he declared he would join Border to take responsibility for that decision and help fight. And…there was also the way he spoke about what happened to him, the vague impressions Dai got, and the fear he showed when the Champion arrived.

It was only a trick then, but Daisuke was sure his words were truthful. That he would rather die then become one of those things.

And that was what caused the conflict in him. This boy…he would cause harm to others. But this was the first choice he had ever made, and it was freedom he was denied. A child locked away and tortured. A neighbor who was selfish and would get people killed. Was he actually being truthful when he spoke?

Daisuke wished he had some Lie Detector Side Effect to know for certain.

While he finished getting a juice from a vending machine on base, he caught a glimpse of Miwa Squad heading out of a briefing room. Likely given the room, they were meeting with Border's leader.

Miwa glanced at Daisuke and noticed him, before finally walking over to him.

"You were one of the people who spotted the humanoid Neighbor, right?"

Hearing Miwa, an A-Rank member and known Neighbor hater come up to him and ask a question, Daisuke didn't take long to understand what he was assigned to do.

"Yeah".

"I heard reports, but I need you to tell me anything else. How he fought, the way he acted, what weapons he used".

Daisuke was not entirely sure what to do at first. He initially hesitated for a second, but then realized that since Yosuke was a part of Miwa squad it should be entirely unnecessary to ask him. In other words, a test.

"Well, he mostly used the blades of Trion soldiers he defeated to attack. His trigger let his arm take form as a cannon though, and he was able to release a flashbang. Otherwise I don't know anything. He mainly used the Marmod blades and the cannon he shot into his own head, so I cant really judge the power of his Trigger. Especially as a B-Rank. Yosuke was there though, didn't you ask him?"

"He…for one reason or another, took a few days off after giving his report. Something about a family matter to attend to".

From what it sounded, Miwa didn't quite believe him. Maybe Yosuke didn't want to immediately go to kill someone who helped him and fought along side him. Or maybe, and likely also, he realized since Tamakoma arrived they might try to recruit the boy. He probably wanted them to so he could just have friendly matches as Border Agents, without all the harshness and killing.

At least, that was what Daisuke thought based on what he heard. However, he was entirely unsure about who was right in this situation. On one hand, Tora was certainly a victim. Not someone to kill, but someone to help. But on the other hand, they would continually receive these larger scale attacks so long as Tora was here, and that included having that Champion thing…no, since they were likely making more, those Champions coming after them. A Trion Soldier that could even take hits from Konami.

Daisuke was conflicted on the course of action to take. But Jin's advice played back in his head, about joining Tamakoma and making a team with Tora and Sarah. And how it felt a bit more then a suggestion.

"I suppose there is only one way to be sure of what my answer will be".

Daisuke decided on a course to determine the action he would take.

* * *

(Tora POV)

I found myself waking up with a feeling as if I was floating on a cloud. For a moment, I wondered if I was in heaven. But then I remembered, I made this mistake before. It was not heaven. It was a Mideen bed.

I didn't move at all as I woke up. I was still only wearing my pyjamma pants, and without moving my head which was on a pillow could only barely see the tips of my toes and a bit of my chest. It was true, I had slept this whole way with parts of me exposed. But Sarah didn't run away, she didn't call me a freak. She mentioned that people with morals might puke if they realized the damage, but not out of dislike or hatred but because they would sympathize with me and think that what was done to me was wrong and horrible to that level. That it was sick, but that I was not. Just what I was forced to go through.

"Mimik".

I noticed Sarah was not around, but Mimik was resting on the night stand next to me so I called out to him.

"Yes Tora?"

"Is this…is this what it feels like to receive kindness?"

"Yes. The wonderful feeling you feel right now is when you are treated with compassion and not as a lab rat, when you receive one's kindness. I was a bit…shocked, by her methods myself. But I have decided to approve all of them because it will help accelerate the warmth you need as a human".

"What I need as a human, huh?"

"All humans need human kindness and warmth from others. The fact you need that is proof of what me and Sarah have told you".

"I see…Mimik, make sure my Trigger is ready".

At first, Mimik was confused by my words. He was probably about to scold me, but then he saw the smile on my face.

"No, its not that I don't trust her. Although I am sure that other members of Border might attack me if they knew I was here, or more forces from Kranz, I don't want the Trigger to fight them. I want it because I have found something worth protecting. Jin, Sarah. All of them who accepted me for who I am. I want to protect them".

For a moment, Mimik just floated there. But then, he handed me my trigger and as I put it on its size changed so it fit snugly around my wrist.

"I am proud to be your friend, Tora".

"I might not like these methods…but I am happy you all have done them somehow. It is nice to have people who care this strongly".

"Heyo! Breakfast is ready!"

Suddenly, Sarah barged in holding a large tray. I started to lean up, but she rushed over and with one hand pushed my body back down as she put the tray over me.

"No no, this is breakfast in bed! We still have time before you go, and you really want to enjoy that bed".

"Uhh…thanks. And yeah. I am glad I still need some sleep. Not being able to sleep at all would be horrible since I would never be able to truly enjoy these beds".

As I said that, I started to eat these…these…

"What are these? Sorry, I am sure your cooking is fine. But, I literally do not know the name of these foods".

"Oh! Right! You see these? They are eggs, but the way I made them is called scrambled eggs".

"The way you made them?"

"Yeah, not only do we have a lot of different types of foods, we also found various ways to make them! Eggs are actually quite diverse. There are scrambled eggs, raw eggs, boiled eggs, sunny side eyes, fried eggs, and if you use other ingredients not normally used you can create omelets! Eggs can also be used as ingredients to make other food, like cakes…wait, we need to have you taste chocolate cake as well! Okay, we can do that on the way to Tamakoma Branch! Or wait, we can have it delivered there for us!"

I was completely in shock. One food could be made in a variety of different ways? I was only given the same basic food each time. I had heard that food could actually be quite diverse, but this far exceeded my expectations.

However…

"And what about this? And that?! And also this?!"

"That is bacon! Its meat that was…well, you know what? I will go over the specifics later. That is toast, its bread that was heated up using something called a toaster, and I added butter to it to increase the flavor. And that is an orange. Also, the glass next to it is actually orange juice, which is made from juice extracted from oranges! Anyways, you better eat up!"

"Ummm…why is that…"

Suddenly, Sarah blushed a little.

"Well, actually you don't have to eat too much all the time…I actually think that bigger boys tend to be more obnoxious and cocky and annoying…but I think one of the reasons you might be so small for your age is because the scientists never gave you the nuitrition a growing boy required. Basically, your growth was probably stunted by malnutrition".

Hearing those words, I forgoed all conversation and began enjoying this whole meal to the fullest. I was short enough to look two to three years younger then I actually was. When we were on the street, although I did not know their exact ages at first, Mimik confirmed using his scanners that I was significantly shorter then every boy around my physical age. Enough that I could pass as a girl my age better then a boy. That was a really humiliating revelation.

It seemed like she might have left something out though. Normally I might have no idea what it was, but I had a vague feeling she was thinking what I had been before she told me about malnutrition. That it was the scientist's experiments that caused my growth to get stunted. Mimik said he was not sure, and that I could maybe still have a growth spurt…but for some reason, I felt like he was hiding something he knew, not to be mean but to protect my feelings.

But I am sure it is fine. It is not like I have stopped growing completely…

Once I finished breakfast, I got dressed into some new, clean clothes. For some reason Sarah said something about "my archetype always wearing shorts", but I decided on wearing long pants, a T shirt, and a jacket. After that, we got our shoes on and left the house heading in the direction of Tamakoma branch. Well, Sarah headed there and I just followed her as I had no idea where it was. She did hold my hand the whole way though.

"You know, you don't have to hold my hand this whole time. I understand you care, and just don't want me to get lost…or pull away…but excessive force is not a good thing you know?"

"Sorry sorry, I was just really concerned that a cute little shot…shounen like yourself might get kidnapped on the way there".

I couldn't help but notice a small slip up in her words that not only embarrassed but kind of depressed me a bit. Well, she did finally let go, but only because we had entered the Forbidden Zone and the chances of random people kidnapping me here was extremely low. Still, I looked towards Mimik…

"It was probably true shorts would fit the archetype better, at least according to all this media I have been processing".

"First off, I already vaguely know what shota and shounen mean, and I am not a shota! What media are you processing this time exactly?"

"It appears to be called 'manga' and 'anime' in this country. I already started two days ago, but there is a lot to catch u…cover".

"I see. I am going to need to see some of this myself la…"

 _Danger!_

Suddenly, I ducked and darted out of the way as a sniper shot nearly hit me and Mimik. It came from a ruined building to the northeast. The moment I did though…

 _Danger!_

I pulled myself back by a step and just barely avoided another sniper shot from a different direction.

"Trigger, On!"

Suddenly, the band on my arm grew a bit in size as I backstepped. It proceeded to grow further in size and moved behind me as I did with a layer of energy in it's center now. As I passed through, I was converted into my Trion body and the band returned to my wrist, fixing it's size.

 _Danger again?!_

I quickly stopped by backstep and pivoted around while ducking as a blade went over my head. And during this, I could also hear Sarah's voice.

"A kogetsu…Miwa?! What are you doing, he is not a threat!"

"Shut the hell up, you damn traitor! He is a neighbor, that makes him an enemy! Someone as delusional as you and Tamakoma, no especially you, you damn sociologist! You don't understand how much of a threat they are!"

As I heard this conversation, Mimik spoke to me through the clone he still had in my ear.

"Tora, it appears these Border agents may have caught on to some of what is going on, and seem rather antagonistic toward Neighbors in general. They also likely have great skill".

"I see…is there any way to deal with them peacefully? If I got into a bad fight with Border, things might be hard for me in terms of registration. Also, how did they find me?"

"They probably scouted out all Tamakoma members during their investigation and found it to be the highest likelihood you were with her. Currently cannot find any peaceful solution".

Jumping right to ignoring Sarah, Miwa focused his entire attention on me. He swung his sword, a kogetsu, in an attempt to take me out. I was able to block the blade but then he had a handgun in his other hand as he switched to holding Kogetsu in only one, and fired several shots.

I was able to dodge all of them, but then suddenly I felt myself get hit several times in the back.

"It appears that he used rounds that can change trajectory".

At first, I started to leak Trion. However, my Trion form then began to regenerate. However, the moment I tried to get distance from Miwa the snipers began to shoot at me and forced me back towards him.

Realizing I could not do this unarmed, I produced a sword from my armor and blocked the next kogetsu strike. Even though his sword was thicker, I was able to pump more Trion into mine and increase the density. With this, I could block it despite my sword being smaller.

But then at that close range, he tried to shoot me several more times. I dodged again, but then quickly moved around and relocated. Several of those shots then came back and hit where I used to be. I was roughly able to understand the differences between us now.

I had superior power and superior agility. His skill…it was maybe just a bit higher then mine. He was extremely skilled, but so was I. After all I was forced to run brutal test after brutal tests so they could get data on the "improvements" they made to me.

Yes, and I could see a way for me to take him out. But if I did that, used my full power and showed that hostility, it might mess up my ability to join Border, and even solidify my place as an enemy of Border. That was just too risky.

Miwa tried to attack again, but I changed my tactics and even my movement and combat style to throw him off. After all the tests I had been forced to run and the constant changes, my fighting style was one where I would constantly change and adapt not just in each situation, but during the situation and fight itself.

The snipers then began to take some shots at me to distract me or maybe land the hit themselves, but my Side Effect Danger Sense let me predict their shots. Of course, Danger Sense would only tell me there was danger and a vague understand of what it was, like what direction it would come at and a vague form of what it would be. It did not tell me how to avoid or dodge it.

He fired another volley of those shots from before, but then fired some directly at me. And furthermore, he immediately followed up by switching to kogetsu and swinging at me all in a fluid non-stop movement. The snipers also timed themselves appropriately and attacked at the same time. I could not see a way to avoid all the attacks, even if I could sense them.

I decided that since the ones that changed trajectory did the least damage of all the attacks, I decided to go with the path and take those hits since I could regenerate the damage quickly. But the moment they hit me, instead of doing damage suddenly it felt like every spot became significantly heavier.

"It appears to be a special type of attack that instead of doing damage, reduces mobility".

I was vaguely able to understand why. My mobility was what let me avoid their attacks so far that I sensed with Danger Sense. They were trying to shut down one of my strengths to make it easier for them. It was a good tactic, except…

"Now scanning and registering. New weapon added, alternate ammo added".

"I see, I can use this".

I had been trying to hold back the true nature of this Trigger as long as I could, but given the situation it seemed I had no choice. I figured this would probably only surprise an opponent once, after all. This Trigger was designed to support my constantly changing battle strategies by offering me the ability create, store, and even adapt new weapons and abilities as well as enhance the weapons I create and use.

Suddenly, my right arm turned into a cannon and I fired at Miwa to keep him busy. My left which had a weight on it however manifested a sniper rifle, and I equipped that alternate ammo and fired upon the snipers with Mimik assisting the targeting and trajectories. I was not so good with a sniper or long ranged combat since I was stuck in lab rooms the whole time, so I needed Mimik's help with that. Especially with the weight on.

But surely enough, I was able to score several hits. Although this weight bullet would probably effect them less then me since they were snipers, it meant they could no longer reposition and I figured it would be harder to aim properly at least.

As for Miwa, I turned my left arm now into a large blade and a cannon materialized on my weighted right leg to propel me forward despite the weight. This let me swing the blade with even more force and power then usual, which foced Miwa to focus on blocking…and let my right arm switch to a rapid fire blaster that hit him with multiple of this weight ammo at point blank range.

It kind of felt like a predictable and not very original strategy, but I couldn't think of any other way to get them to stop attacking me. It was a good thing though that I specialized in mobility and agility, or else there was no way that I could have avoided all that. After all, if I had been hit by a single swing or sniper shot I would have been finished right then and there. It was really close.

"Damn you! You think this is over Neighbor?"

"Now now, don't you think you are letting your anger get the better of you?"

Interrupting Miwa who was barely able to move at all was the one who left earlier yesterday, and technically my legal guardian, Jin. Snacking on a bag of rice crackers.

"You damn Tamakoma traitors! It is the duty of all Border Agents to exterminate Neighbor scum!"

This timethough, it as not Jin but Sarah who replied in an upset voice.

"Oi, you know that child was only like seven though when the Neighbors attacked right?! Are you saying an uninvolved child should be punished for something he has no relation to?!"

Sarah then used pure raw logic and obvious thinking against Miwa here, to try and convince him. I admired her effort, but from his expressions and angry glares he sent at me, was not working as well as it should. Or maybe he understood what she said was logical, and that it made sense actually irritated him further.

"He came here, and now is constantly going to bring us trouble! His very existence here is a threat, he needs to be eliminated immediately!"

He countered therefore with his own logic. A fact no one including myself could deny. In fact, I would openly admit that. I as not running from that truth. Instead, I wanted to face it on my own terms by joining Border. But it was clear about one thing. I had something in common with Miwa.

Deactivating my Trigger, I returned to my normal body. I quickly began to then take off my shirt and jacket in front of them, much to the surprise of Sarah.

"Tora, you don't have to do this…"

"No, its okay. You helped me accept something I was denying. This is the best method".

Taking off all the clothing on my upper body, exposing my skin. I then walked closer, and made sure this Miwa guy could see it.

"I don't know what happened to make you hate Neighbors so much…"

Finally, something other then anger appeared on his face. It was still there, but there was also shock when he noticed my scars. Including the sheer number of them. They were hidden at first glance, but if someone got a good close look like he was right now they were visible.

"…but trust me when I say I hold far more hatred, not towards all of them, but towards the ones truly responsible for all the horrors".

"You think…you think I will accept you just like that?! Even if you want to join those Tamakoma traitors, you will never join Border without the Director's acceptance!"

"Well then, how about you both let me join for your own reasons you should accept?"

Miwa narrowed his eyes at me in disgust. It was the kind of gaze I was afraid of before. Oddly enough as embarrassing as it was, if it was not for Sarah that gaze might seriously effect me. No, it still did. I wanted to cry, bawl my eyes out, apologize. But I had to stay strong, to show my determination to join Border.

"The Neighbors coming after me happen to overlap in our hatred. I hate them, you hate them. So if they are coming after me, then how about using me as bait? As for your commander, well the ones coming after me have some of the most advanced Trion technology in the Neighborhood. Just think about all the potential rewards. How is that then. Maybe you cant immediately come around to liking me, but if it helps you fufill your own desires, then perhaps what I went through is enough for you to accept me then?"

Hearing my words, Miwa shot me a glare of hatred. He clearly was never going to get over his hatred that easily. But…to use me as bait, to lure out other Neighbors for him to destroy and kill…it was that logic, that possibility that seemed to finally stop my Danger Sense from reacting to me just being near him.

Yes, he was considering to kill me that entire time, waiting for a chance.

"I will be reporting this to base, Tamakoma Traitors. Bail Out".

Not giving a finite answer of what he thought, he activated his Bail Out system and surprised me as he shot up in a beam of Trion light that seemed to go right back to the base. Meanwhile, I put my shirt and jacket back on.

"Wait, what happened with those snipers?"

* * *

(Turning back time a bit…Daisuke POV)

I finally knew it. Yes, I was sure now. I knew what I had to do.

I looked over to the two snipers, we had all been watching. At first we didn't notice anything, but after they looked closely enough they could see it hidden under the skin. All of Tora's scars. Once the two saw them, saw the extent of them from where they were to how many of them there were, the two threw up right next to themselves.

That was because once they saw them they could not help but imagine the sheer brutality and pain, what sort of acts were committed against Tora in the first place. They didn't lose anyone to Neighbors so their hate was not as strong as Miwa's, but they did lose their homes so they sort of held a grudge. But not strong enough to overcome the realization of what was done to Tora…and that they had just been trying to kill someone who already suffered so much.

But based on what I saw today, I had my answer. People are so quick to label as selfish or selfless, they tend to forget that it is possible for someone to be both, or just inbetween the two. Tora wanted to live, but that kind of selfishness was acceptable. But even more, he did not want to become that thing. Yet he was willing to put his life in danger to protect the people he put in danger for wanting to live.

I watched as he fought Miwa, and did not interfere with the snipers. Actually, I outright told them why I was here so they didn't bother mentioning me or paying me much mind after that. But how he handled that situation, how well he did. The way he negotiated. He passed, he was definently someone who needed to be…not protected, but helped. I was sure of it now, the uneasy feeling I had before about him. Like there was just something to him that bothered me.

But now despite that feeling I was sure. He was not an enemy, not a threat, not something to be chased away. He needed people to look up to, to look after him, to talk to him.

He needed what I had lost. I lost family to the Neighbor invasion four and a half years ago, and Tora never really had one to start with. Not that he could remember apparently, from what Sarah told us.

"Well then, I found my answer. What about yours?"

I looked over at the two snipers of Miwa Squad.

"I think…we need to head back and make sure an accurate, detailed report is given".

Saying that, the two of them quickly used the Bail Out system to return to the base immediately. I looked back at Tora, and remembered the pain of losing my mother. I took out a phone and called Jin.

"Hey, you ready to get directions?"

"Of course you would know what I am going to say with that side effect of yours. Fine fine, tell me and then I will meet everyone there. Oh, and tell Tora…he did a good job".

"Just that?"

"Sometimes, that is all people need. 'Simple can be far more meaningful'".

"I see. Who said that?"

I looked out into the blue sky, watching those white fluffy clouds. I even saw one that looked like a rabbit, which actually made me think of Tora a bit.

"My mother".

(All the feels! But there, Daisuke is finally evolved into a full main character! What do you guys think of our Megame-kun? How do you like the formation of this new team? How do you like the mix of personalities we have with them? What do you guys think of the implementation of Miwa? Please leave some reviews and let me know!)


	8. Tamakoma Branch

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 7: Tamakoma Branch

(Tora POV)

"And here we are! Tamakoma branch!"

Sarah excitedly yelled that as we arrived at Tamakoma Branch. Upon arrival however…

"Who are you?"

I could not help but ask that. After all, I was faced with a little kid riding some sort of animal. However, what might have really caused my shock and attention grabbing was the simple fact that the boy who was riding the animal, of course with the additional fact of him riding the animal, was a little too close to my height then I would like.

Or rather, I realized this kid could only be like around five or six, but with that animal he was riding on he was almost my height. I could already feel the comparisons being made. I might be short for a boy, but…wasn't this too cruel?

"Ah! Sarah-chan! Who is this one?"

"That is Sarah-neechan! And he is the new recruit joining Tamakoma! So be nice and introduce yourself!"

"He has not introduced himself yet…"

Faced with this standoff, Jin then walked in from behind us huffing a little.

"Geese Sarah, don't steal the new kouhai all for yourself. You left me in the dust back there!"

"Hehe".

"Right, anyways. Glad I made it in time. Yotaro, this is Tora Rokuda. He is one of Tamakoma's newest members. Tora, this is Yotaro Rindo. He lives here. And what he is riding is Raijinmaru".

"Oh, I see. Nice to…wait, why are you glad I make it in time?"

"Uhhh, no reason…".

"Jin-nii?"

"Certainly, it was not like 85% of the futures I see involve your horrible demise or capture if I don't make it in time…"

"FUUUEEE?!"

At my reaction, Jin just ended up laughing. I realized from that action that it was a joke, and shot shot him a glare while unintentionally puffing my cheeks in a rage.

"Not funny!"

"It was pretty funny".

"Anyways, come in come in. Let me introduce you to the rest of Tamakoma".

As such a conversation went on, I was led in by Jin, Sarah, and Yotaro into the main living room. Immediately, as I had already taken off my shoes when I saw the treasure I jumped onto it and felt it up.

"Sooo sooooffttt".

If I recalled correctly, this was called a couch. Although I registered the others talking behind me, I was far more focused on this lovely softness and comfort that had eluded me in the other world.

"Sarah-chan?"

"It seems he is developing an obsession with any comfort or convivence denied to him when he was imprisoned by those scientists. That, plus the experience seemed to be so traumatic and lasting for him plus his age he cant remember a time before the lab. It appears that his first encounter was the softness of a hospital bed and clothing, so…it is particularly strong".

"Maybe we should get him a teddy bear? Though then again, despite his appearance he might be a bit old for it

"Well then, sounds like we better take good care of our newest member".

A new voice spoke out from behind us, catching the attention of everyone including myself…though, I was still clinging to a couch cushion in my arms . It was an older voice I had not heard yet, but he sounded older then the others. Where I looked, there was a black haired man who walked past the others from behind and entered the room. He was taller then the others too, except Jin. Then again, I had still not met any of the other Border agents, but…

I was only like, two thirds the height of both of them!

Sarah, who seemed to realize what I was thinking, just smiled.

"Chief Rindo, this is our new aspiring recruit, the Neighbor Tora Rokuda. Eleven or twelve years old because he is unsure, but probably eleven, and about one hundred and twenty five centimeters tall!"

And she did it! She announced my height like it was nothing at all! From what I knew, normal children my age would be around one hundred and forty or maybe even fifty if they were tall. But I was a full fifteen centimeters shorter then that!

In order for both Jin and Rindo to be my height, they would have to take a third of their total height off!

"I…I am still growing!"

"I see Sarah-chan still has that mischievous streak of hers".

"Well now Tora-chan, even if we solved the likely issue of why you are short, its actually far too late for you to be able to make it up now".

"Noooooooooo! It's not true! It's not!"

I had not minded it much before, but the more I saw others…well, I saw girls my age that were taller then me! And some were considered average height or even a bit short of the average!

Having stood up to defend my honor, I suddenly felt pulled. It was Sarah, who pulled me right into a hug. To this point, despite everything else she had done this was the first time she pulled me in like this. And it was really embarrassing and awkward because of where my head ended up thanks to my height.

"There there Tora-chan. I think you are way cuter like this. It makes me want to care for you, and pamper and spoil you, and spend even more time with you as just the two of us".

There were some really dangerous words in there that gave me some concerns and issues. But first…

"Mimik?"

"Pampering and spoiling are actions where one treats the other really kindly and favorable, sometimes going out of their way to do so. Although there are other definitions and meanings, those are likely the ones used in this instance".

Well…I didn't mind those at all. But I still had an issue with…

"And of course, with your size, it would be harder for the enemy to hit or even spot you, letting you evade capture and damage with more ease then any tall musclehead".

Suddenly, my height issue decreased by a sizable degree. It was true, if I was smaller it would be harder to spot or hit me, and I would be able to squeeze through tighter spaces in order to escape.

Suddenly though, I felt myself get pulled away and lifted up by someone else. Yet, I could see the others in front of me, which meant while I was getting smother hugged by Sarah someone else entered. And that person spoke up with a voice I did recognize.

"Sarah, please stop smothering the rookie. Also, please don't use him as your personal plaything, in any definition or meaning".

"Daisuke-niichan?"

"…you are really quick to get familiar with people, huh?"

Come to think about it, I had been referring to everyone similarly. Well, they were being so friendly…but Sarah also told me that despite my anti-trusting nature, she had noticed I seem to actually crave connections, real connections, with people. Apparently she had decided to be really invasive and pushy with me because she realized my current plan of action would actually lead nowhere. Didn't change how embarrassing it was though.

"I just finished up with Daisuke's Border Admission, so now I just need to get everything done for Tora. So, you two mind if I borrow him".

"Awww".

"Here you go".

And then Daisuke, who was holding me, passed me to Rindo and…

"Hold on! You can put me down! I can walk by…uwa?!"

And Rindo put me under his arm and walked away from everyone who had amused faces.

"Not funny!"

After that was over, I was finally allowed to walk on my own two feet again…only, I actually ended up sitting in a chair. A very soft, comfortable, cushioned chair…I felt like I could just fall inside these cushions and be happy there forever.

Rindo who saw that chuckled before starting the conversation.

"So, let us begin shall we? This won't take long, but I will need to go over some details. Oh, yeah. Border will also want to do a full medical exam on you as well".

That snapped me out of my daze.

"F…full medical examination?"

"Yeah. It will be very important. After all, due to the actions seen by the public that were reported, it was already known there was an unknown Trigger user running around smashing up Trion Soldiers. Now, outsiders might just think it was one of Border's elite ranks, but those inside Border, B-Ranks and expecially A-Ranks, will have the desire to search for a Neighbor using such a powerful Trigger".

As I heard all of this, I think I began to understand what would happen next.

"As such, with your oddities it wont take them long to realize you are a Neighbor. But those of B-Rank should already know about the existence of Tamakoma Branch, so instead it would be best not to hide it. At least inside Border's ranks. No one in C-Rank will be told, but B-Ranks and up will know. You will probably face hardship from those that hold a grudge. Therefore, in order to stop this...we will need to also spread the word about what happened to you. About how you are a victim as well in all this. Knowing that, do you still want to join?"

In other words, everyone would become aware of my scars, my oddities. Not just that I am a Neighbor, but that I am someone who suffered. Someone who ran. That I didn't just bring trouble, but had been forced into an unreasonable situation to start with. And that I had a reason to be selfish and run despite what occurred, but had decided to take responsibility by helping them fight.

"Yes. Because it's the only way. I wont go back to them, anywhere else is also a risk. This is my best play".

"I see…good".

"Good?"

"Well, to be honest it helps with my goals as well. We want to convince people not all Neighbors are bad guys. So, you will really help with that".

I could pretty much understand what he meant. Along with scientific talk, I overheard a lot of political talk from the scientists, especially Kranz. Basically, Rindo was a kind person…but he also wanted to make use of this opportunity to support his ideals. It was not really a bad or scummy thing given what it was, and I especially had no right to talk.

"Now, shall we begin?"

(Commander Kido POV)

"And that is the end of my report".

Commander Kido watched as Miwa ended his report. Kido had figured Tamakoma would try to meet this "helpful" neighbor and sent Miwa to investigate. Of course, Jin had ended up distracting them yesterday when they started, but today they managed to collect a lot of information and find him.

But after managing to find him he was able to fight off all of Miwa Squad, although granted one member was unavailable at the time. Still, he managed to fight off three A-Ranks and hold his ground. Though it sounded like a close fight, it may have been he had been avoiding the use of his Trigger. Although powerful, it did not seem like it was a Black Trigger. But it also sounded like he had been trying to find a solution for this that was more peaceful, and held back a bit.

Additionally, when Kido learned it was just a young boy, and from what Miwa described of the scars on his body, the boy himself seemed like a valuable find. If they had a number of medical tests and scans done on him, it was possible they would advance in their knowledge of Trion and Trigger technology. Of course, Kido was not totally heartless to not sympathize a bit with Tora, but he focused on being the Commander and Chief of Border over that.

And so he had given Miwa a message, an offer, that Kido had to admit was clever in its construction. Essentially, they would protect Tora, but also let Tora join their ranks. A fighter like him joining Border would increase combat potential. Giving him that, allowing him to join Border, was something they could do that would still benefit them.

And then, there is the potential of gathering technology, or maybe even taking a hostage, from one of the more advanced Planet Nations of the Neighborhood. Using Tora as bait, luring them out and taking out powerful enemies on Border's terms? From what it seemed, there was nothing but benefits. Even when this information was released about Tora to the B-Ranks and A-Ranks, the sheer number of benefits not to mention the sympathy card Rindo would definently have to play to be safe would likely stop a full divide in Border.

That was the only risk after all, causing a schism inside Border. But, that was probably why Rindo had already called him to suggest using Tora's backstory, what happened to him, to severely cushion that. The idea of using him as bait would be spread around to appease those who hate Neighbors, and the idea of him joining the defense against other Neighbors and potential gains to technology and advancing of their own Trigger technology would satisfy those who just want to defend. This would satisfy all three factions, Tamakoma getting Border to admit a neighbor as an ally.

But then, there were two more reasons why Kido wanted Tora. Technically one could say they are the same reason, but it was important to say them both the way they were. First off, not only would it be both against Kido's own faction ideal that all Neighbors were enemies to trade off Tora to them for safety and technology, it would be giving them another one of those Champion things. Morals aside, it could only be guessed they were close to using Tora as a vessel for another Champion, which based on the reports he got had to be prevented at all costs.

And second, he himself should have some idea, some knowledge about what they did. Even if he was a child and they never explained anything directly to him, there was a chance he could have picked something up. And even if he didn't, there was his body and whatever Trigger he brought with him.

He had really made sure that no matter what, this would be something that even a Neighbor hater would approve of.

"Maybe if he gets popular enough, I should make him in charge of making deals and negotiations".

"So you are thinking of accepting him then?"

"Of course. As the director of R&D, you should see the benefits for your own division right?"

Motokichi Kinuta, who looked a little bit more encouraged and accepting then one might expect, as if his question was actually encouraging acceptance, nodded as Kido questioned him.

"I agree completely. Young talent like that should be encouraged, and the benefits for developing our own technology are also great. We might be able to get useful finds without the need of an away mission".

Actually, Chief Kinuta had a small spot for young children as he had a daughter of his own, so when he heard about Tora's circumstances, he felt a bit of compassion as a father. So with the added benefit of additional gains, his acceptance was pretty much confirmed. Of course, Kido didn't actually need that acceptance, but it would help in the long run.

"If we are not careful, and this leaks out, it could be bad. But if we try to engage him and it gets public, and if he is just left unchecked it could get worse".

"I have concerns about how to handle the media, but if he works with us it should at least prevent any future exposure".

Foreign Affairs Operations Manager Katsumi Karasawa and Media Countermeasures Chief Eizo Netsuki was not particularly for the idea, but the thought of having Tora run around unchecked and then invasions like before where the Neighbors overload the Guidance Beacon and then chase him around the city causing mayhem was a much worse future. If they took him out, he would just disappear but there would be questions inside the ranks and out, and it would cause a lot of anger from Tamakoma who might spread the truth of Tora out of spite and cause people to hate them.

Therefore, working with Tora and having it be the claim of them testing out new Trigger technology they were developing using his Trigger and abilities was best. Tamakoma also would not cause any potential issues.

"I have some concerns with the whole bait thing, and the possible damage and increase of severity of Neighbor attacks from this particular nation, but from what I heard of this Champion I certainly welcome the idea of developing stronger technology and Triggers, and having a promising combatant join the defense force. Besides, I would like to get ahead of this Champion issue. I have no doubt that Tora can help with that, as these Champions sound like Black Trigger grade Trion Soldiers…they even consume a person to be created".

Hearing the words of Masafumi Shinoda, who voiced some concerns but ultimately agreed with this idea, some of the others flinched. A Trion Soldier equivlent of a Black Trigger. That certainly fit the description they heard of the Champion alright. It was able to take a hit from Konami without taking significant damage. It was not immune, but…it was an eye raiser for sure.

"Then I guess there is not enough for us to go against this. Very well, when his application arrives I guess I will have to accept it. Hopefully there is no risk we overlooked, that we wouldn't have to face eventually anyways".

"I would say that given what we heard from his fighting style, the only risk would be the likely mentor to that kid…"

(Tora POV)

"And that should summarize…"

"Finally!"

Suddenly, right as me and Rindo had finished up my application paper, a woman burst into the room without showing any respect or caution for the door. She stormed right up, and lifted me up my the collar of my shirt. Once again, it seemed to be the use of my legs was being prohibited.

"First off, before anything, I heard about you from downstairs Tora-chan! Including how you hadn't had a bath in weeks! So before training, I will give you a good scrubbing!"

"Wa..wa…wait what?!"

"Oh don't be shy! We are both girls right?"

"Girls?! Who told you that?! I am a boy!"

When I said that, the girl looked dumbfounded and looked at my height, and then my pants.

"No you are not allowed to check! You can take my word for it!"

"But I heard from Sarah-chan you were a girl and…"

"S…Sarah?!"

At that point, Sarah, Daisuke, and two others peeked around the corner of the door with amused faces. All I could think though was why this kept happening to me…

"He he. Actually Konami-sempai…just messing with you! Tora is a boy, and already had a bath!"

The girl, Konami, who was clearly much taller then me, looked at Sarah for a second and then made an extremely shocked expression.

"EHHHHHHHH?!"

"Sorry about that Tora-chan, but Sarah-chan started with her before we could intervene and then…well, its just amusing to see her get this way. Anyways, this foolish naïve girl is Kirie Konami, a member of Kizaki Squad and the Rank Three Attacker in Border. My name is Kyosuke Karasuma, an All Rounder and generally laid back person but good in combat. And this is our leader, Reiji Kizaki and is even more skilled then me, considered the perfect All Rounder…among other things, from what I heard".

"Huh?"

"Ah yes. Tora-kun, you have used your own Trigger before but you have not gotten used to the others yet right? Well, we should probably get you used to Border's Triggers before enlistment day. First off though, what kind of combat do you generally use?"

"I mainly use close combat, but I mix things up with ranged combat as well. I am not very good with Snipers though".

"What would you say your strength is? Offensive, Defensive, or mix?"

"Actually…I would probably say it is agility. Everything else is pretty much even, but I learned dodging was better than taking a hit early on".

Rindo heard that, and then nodded for a bit. I just answered honestly, but it seemed to spark an idea in him.

"Reiji, I want you to get those two ready and then analyze Tora-kun's training data to find a good match for how to train those two. Kyosuke, Kirie, I want you both to help Tora-kun get used to Border's Triggers. Normally, I would just leave it to Kyosuke, but Kirie might be better to mentor his attacker abilities. It seems like Tora-kun would mainline as the attacker, but have a Shooter Trigger or two in reserve and so Kirie can best hone his abilities to learn Attacker Triggers, and then Kyosuke can help him learn Shooter triggers and implement them with his attacker style".

The others just seemed to nod, but then Rindo added something else.

"Also, if I recall Border recently came up with a new Attacker trigger right? I think we should prepare that for him".

Hearing that, Kirie and Kyosuke seemed shocked but decided to accept it. Kirie and Kyosuke then began to walk to the training rooms which appeared to be located in the basement, but…

"Can you put me down first?!"

After that was done, and I was finally able to walk on my own without anyone carrying me, we went down to the training rooms in the basement. First off, Kirie decided to come and have me see all the Attacker Triggers that people use.

"First, I will start with Raygurst. It is a defensive type Attacker Trigger that can morph between blade and shield form, and despite having an optional trigger that lets it burst forward is absolutely horrible for someone who is speed and agility based to use".

"I see, I see. So, not for me then".

"Good, glad to see your not a total idiot. Next is Koegtsu, a heavy blade but is considered the most balanced. It pretty much requires two hands and has no special gimmicks, but two Optional Triggers. It is also a bad match for you".

"I agree. The next is Scorpion. Honestly, I think Scorpion might suit you the best. It can be drawn from any part of the body and it's shape can be altered freely. It is powerful in offense, nearly weightless, but the durability is low. Furthermore, even though you can change the size by adjusting your Trion level, it becomes more fragile the longer it becomes".

"Wait, that does sound perfect...but, then why are you holding four?"

"This last one was developed recently. It is called Cyclone (AN: For those who read the original earlier chapters, I changed it from Widow because although it made a bit more sense technically, the name always felt off. So now its Cyclone), and it pretty much focuses on mobility. It can be said to focus on offense as well like Scorpion, but it can also be used to sneak around. Furthermore, due to it's size and nature it actually has two gimmicks, maybe three. However, it lacks reach, or any real defensive ability".

"This is the new one that Rindo-san mentioned to prepare?"

"Yeah. In exchange for the lack of reach, and its small size, two can be manifested while only using one in a Trigger slot".

That raised my's eyes. I was already a bit aware of Triggers thanks to the scientists, and so I knew if you wanted to dual wield blades it meant you would need one set for the main hand and one for the off hand. But with the Cyclone, I could have a single Trigger slot be taken up to dual wield them. It would open up my arsenal to include a wide range of other Triggers.

"It seems that caught your interest. Let me explain a bit more though. They are small. They are basically handles with discs attached, basically like holding two buzz saws made of Trion. Furthermore, they are connected to you and each other through a Trion reinforced wire. That is the second trick. You can freely change the distance of the wire as well, shrinking and lengthening it. It is not too durable though. While Scorpion and Raygurst might not cut it instantly, a Kogetsu would cut the wire in one cut. However, this lets its next ability shine as well".

She took a deep breath, and activated her Trigger. She changed into her combat form, though instead of her usual gear she was equipped with a Cyclone. She immediately released one and used her hand and arm to spin it around on the wire, before launching it at the ceiling above. When it hit though, Kirie seemed to apply Trion to it and instead of falling it locked into place. She then used the wire length modifier ability to pull herself up, but then released it and landed on the ground. She then dismissed the Trigger.

"It has the ability to sort of magnetically latch onto things if one provides a bit of extra Trion, and then they can release at will or pull them towards it. You could also pull objects, and even people, closer to you".

"I see, so it has quite a bit of utility functions, but cannot be compared in terms of offense and defense to the others?"

"It can do the job, but...it is not one that is very popular right now. Only a handful use it, though...one of those squads I hear is quite tricky, even if their strength is so-so".

With that said, I looked over the Triggers.

"I think...I will go with Cyclone..."

"It seems Chief Rindo thought you might. Now we should probably go over Shooter Triggers".

"Ah, actually I am already aware of those. Sarah spoke to me about them exceptionally, and I saw Viper and Asteroid in use today. But I guess Kyosuke would help me pick which would suit me best".

After that, I went over to Kyosuke who indeed already had a case of Triggers prepared for me in the next room. However...

"There are only three? I heard there were four".

"I already know which Shooter Triggers you would be likely to use, and which you would not. I already think Hound is probably not something you would use".

This guy...he scared me. Indeed, I already knew I didn't want Hound. It was basically an aim assist. While sounding nice, it would get blocked easily by shields and buildings. Its trajectory would be easy to figure out and block. I thought it really was not worth it.

Actually, originally I only held interest in Asteroid and Meteora, but after that Miwa guy used Viper on me I could see its uses. It certainly was not just a more complicated Hound.

"I see".

"So then, if you know what all three do, Viper, Asteroid, and Meteora, which will you choose?"

Looking over them, I glanced over Viper. However...

"Sarah, what is her specialty?"

"These are the same ones she uses. She uses Asteroid, Meteora, and Viper. She has a particular tenacity, and excels at predicting where people will step likely because of her parent's background and her upbringing that involved studying people. So she mainlines Viper combinations".

"Then, I will take Asteroid and Meteora. Both in the off hand".

"I see...no plans for combinations, or Viper?"

"As much as it interests me, Viper is not as suited for an attacker. Maybe I will switch it in some day, but for now no. And I think I already have an idea of what my others should be".

"Alright, lets hear it then".

"Bagworm is definently a must. The Neighborhood has too many Trion sensing abilities. Chameleon, since if I used it at the same time as Bagworm..."

"Chameleon cannot be used at the same time as other Triggers".

"What? Damn. Okay then, Grasshopper for sure, and Shield. Shield would be in the main hand, and Grasshopper in the off hand".

"Wait, you are not putting shield in the off? Normally people have it equipped on both".

"I don't specialize in defense, so if I need to use it then it would be for something in a situation other then attacking, like defending at range. Furthermore...I also plan to put Scorpion in my off hand".

This caused Kyosuke-sempai's eyes to widen.

"Two attacker Triggers?"

"Cyclone will be my main and signature, but if I can have it in both hands without taking up an off hand Trigger..."

"I see. Yes, Scorpion is your best option. That is clever".

Nodding with my decision, he looked at my list. Cyclone was a single Trigger that could summon one for each hand without a second, and Scorpion was a single trigger that did not need a hand to use. In fact, theoretically even if you lost the hand you could use it.

"So then, that fills up your off hand...but what about your main? Cyclone, Bagworm, Shield. Will you still stick with Chameleon?"

"I...I think I need to test out the Triggers before i make that last decision".

"Understandable. Alright then. Well, right now you will only be a C-Rank, so lets practice with a C-Rank Training Trigger. Here, activate this".

I took the Trigger, and felt it in my hand before looking back up. It was time I showed my worth to them!

"Trigger, On!"

"Alert! Trion Flux Overload!"

And then...there was a Trion explosion in my hand.

(Uh oh! Looks like something happened! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Already working on the next one! And as for this Chapter's question, what type of person would you be, Attacker, Shooter, Sniper, or some combination? And what Triggers would you equip?)


	9. Daisuke Shinya

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 8: Daisuke Shinya

Author's Note: So, given the sheer mass of characters, with occasional exceptions, I think I will only add honorifics when significant, and not just generic ones. Because although the idea of them seem cool, when you add in a ton of characters...uhg...

Also I don't know why, but this chapter and I think the next one as well will be very easy to write. Just my impression, so they may come out rapidly.

Anyways, Credit to a certain someone for letting me use their character. I wont ruin the surprise though!

(Daisuke POV)

"What the hell happened?!"

"Tora-chan, are you okay?!"

After hearing about what happened in the Training Room, me and Sarah immediately raced down out of concern. Normally, training with a Trigger should be safe and harmless but from what we heard, he had only just tried activating a Trigger when some sort of explosion happened in Tora's hand.

And when we rushed in, we saw Tora with a bandaged hand and part of his arm, shocked at our entrance.

"Relax, relax. Some small scrapes and burns from the overload, but its already healing. I am just wearing these bandages to prevent an infection".

"Still though, we should soon get a good idea of what happened. I am running through the logs, and we just finished scanning Tora-kun's body".

Tora went a bit red at that. I had a guess of what that meant, and so did Sarah apparently since she pouted. Well, those things also tended to be very ticklish as well, and I would have liked to hear Tora laugh so I had my own reason.

"I wish you told me sooner, I would have come to help..."

"Sarah-san, please don't be this unreasonable..."

As this conversation went on, the computers started to beep as Kyosuke looked at the results. At the same time, Tora looked away with a mix of guilt, shame, and even a bit of despair.

Seeing this, I could not stop myself from walking over to him and putting my hand on his shoulder. Thankfully, he was currently sitting on the desk after being bandaged so he was almost at my eye level. This would have been really hard if I had to bend down or look down at him.

"Relax Tora-chan, no matter what its no problem at all. We are all here for you".

Seemingly perked up by my words a little, Kyosuke who was reading the data was a bit shocked. Although, I was mentally scolding myself. I meant to use -kun, but everyone else kept calling him Tora-chan and it seems to have stuck.

"Tora-kun...I see, well don't worry. We can fix this, even if it means giving you an atypical Trigger for a trainee".

Konami heard that and went to the other side to look at the data, and then got shocked at the results.

"Huh?! Why does this kid have three separate Trion Glands!?"

At those words, Tora immediately went to an appearance as if he would fall apart. This was bad, really bad.

"Konami! Don't say it like that!"

"Tora...those scars, can I see them again?"

Nodding in silence, Tora took off his shirt and showed his body to Kyosuke. He looked back at the screen, and then the data.

"I see, so the scars here...and here..."

He touched two of them while looking at the screen again.

"...they were the ones where they implanted other Trion Glands into you right?"

At those words, both me and Sarah suddenly went very grim. Even Konami looked like she was about to burst with rage, and Reiji...it was a silent, subtle, but instinctively felt rage.

Tora just nodded at those words.

"I see, with this your Trion output and abilities would be higher then normal. You can output Trion at higher level, and it seems like these glands might have been specially chosen for compatibility. However, at the same time if you don't use a certain number of Triggers...no, you might not even necessarily have to use them, just have them equipped to absorb Trion, it will result in the Trigger malfunctioning and causing you harm".

Tora himself had not realized that it seemed, as he never used a Trigger that was not fully fitted. But it meant that a Training Trigger for him would actually need at minimum three Triggers to function. No, actually with the Bail Out function it might be good with just two. Well so long as he didn't use them both in some official C-Rank fight, it should be fine. But, that was sure one hell of an oddity. But it also meant...

"Just how high is Tora-chan's Trion output?"

"High, higher then the both of you combined. And Sarah-chan was already quite gifted with her Trion level, so yeah..."

I didn't have exceptionally high or even very high Trion. I was not low either, but because I was a really good shot I ended up being a Sniper. Sarah however was a Shooter for a variety of reasons, but one was that she had exceptional Trion levels.

Tora would be an Attacker who also used Shooter cubes. Honestly, I had some concerns about his Trion levels and if he could keep up, but with three Trion Glands...

"Wait, does Tora-chan have anything else?"

"...I feel like at this rate even the few people who call me Tora-kun will start Tora-chan..."

"Blame your short height, Chibi-Shota".

"D..don't call me that!"

"Uhhh, so? Back on topic?"

"Well...it seems like his brain is a bit more active then a normal human's. It seems they were mainly focused on Trion levels and such, like expanding the veins that transport Trion through the body, but...there are some extras".

"Hold on, don't release my medical information like this!"

"Relax Tora-kun, we are your family so its fine. Anyways, I think it is highly relevant you seem to have a second heart and yet your body is not completely screwed up".

That caught my attention as well. I would not claim to be a Biology expert, but I did pay attention. And extra organs would normally cause a load of issues unless there were other parts modified to compensate. And it was not like he was related to a certain time traveler.

"Yeah, it seems his body is working a bit differently to compensate, some organs are operating at a higher quality and higher efficiency, but it looks like they balanced it all...however..."

Kyosuke went around the table and went right next to me, looking Tora in the eye.

"Tora-kun, have we explained Bail Out to you yet?"

"No...wait, isn't that the system Miwa unit used? I did not know the specifics, but I considered taking it for my eighth actually".

"No, that is not necessary or possible. Bail Out is a function that lets one escape a battle and transports them back to base instantly. It is specially made to not take up any slot, but normally only B-Ranks and up have them equipped because of how expensive it is in terms of Trion. However, not only can it be activated personally, it will automatically activate if your Trion Form is destroyed and will return you to base".

Tora's eyes widened a bit after hearing that. Basically, at B-Rank he would always be able to escape. Even if Kranz destroyed his Trion form before he could manually activate it, it would automatically activate and he would still escape.

"Tora-kun, since it will already be known you are a Neighbor by many B and A ranks...well, there might be some people who hate on you despite the information we are releasing, and some who will want to fight you to test you...or maybe themselves. Actually, a few might do it for fun. You are going to use those people, and other C-Ranks you are competing against. Tora, I want you to disregard the idea of avoiding attention. Instead, there are five people who I want you to beat, and make sure they wager enough points collectively to rank up to B within a week".

"Five people?"

"Shun Midorikawa, Ai Kitora, Masato Kageura, Ko Murakami, and Rei Nasu".

At those words, both Sarah and myself were shocked.

"Hold on, hold on. Aren't two of those people A-Ranked? And the other three pretty much A-Rank?"

I couldn't believe what I just heard. I knew Tora just fought three A-Ranks at once, but...that was with a Neighbor Trigger and not a Border Trigger. Furthermore, he would be limited to a Training Trigger. He could not possibly win with those odds! But Konami ended up being the one who replied.

"Don't worry, Glasses-kun. Shota-Chibi will be able to handle it. In the first place, we said those people because they were the only ones we could think of on short notice that would agree to fight Shota-Chibi fairly, while still giving him a good experience. And because they were the only ones who we are sure would accept".

"Yeah, but, you know Kyosuke, fighting ALL of them probably wont be necessary".

"And stop calling me Shota-Chibi!"

"What do you mean, Reiji?"

"Once Shun hears about Tora-kun and that he is in Tamakoma, he will probably go to challenge Tora-kun and bet all the points he needs to rank up. There is no way he will get to the other four".

"You think so?"

"I don't understand why you paired him against Kitora either. You know with her, he...wait, you had an ulterior motive with that one didn't you?"

"Eh...actually, she will go and challenge him too if you think about it. Because like Shun with Jin, it will be her because of me".

"I don't think she would do that".

"I considered that, but if he challenged her she would not refuse".

Tora looked completely lost in this situation, but that made sense. After all, he was just told the names of five people he had never met with the idea of fighting and beating them.

So I picked him up.

"Well it is getting late, so we should get Tora-chan fed and then put to bed".

"You know, with his body's alterations he can actually stay up for quite awhile if he wanted to. His metabolism is especially insane".

"I still have not gotten to train with Chibi-Shota yet!"

"I can go to bed on my own, and stop calling me Chibi-Shota! And put me down!"

I sighed, and then looked towards the one who had mysteriously stayed silent this whole time.

"Mimik-sensei is it? Since you have been helping to teach Tora-chan about the world? Tell me, how much common sense does he actually have?"

"...he has learned quite well since he..."

"No. How much does he currently have!"

"...very low..."

"Mimik!"

"He does know his own limits though".

"Uh huh...but I assume those are the very ends of limits, and not normal not pushing yourself limits right?"

"Wait, there is a limit where you don't push yourself fully?"

I just sighed as I carried Tora in front of my, arms around his and wrapped around his chest.

"I am going to go teach Tora-chan what not to do in a kitchen, and other things people should know by his age. You can train tomorrow".

And so, the two of us left the room so that I could jumpstart Tora's common sense.

* * *

(Sarah POV)

For the next two weeks, me and Daisuke trained up as Tora got used to Border Triggers. They were able to get one to stop his Trion from all pouring into one Trigger and exploding on him, and so he was able to properly train and fight.

We also trained and trained, learning from Tora's training videos just how he fought. He had power, but while he liked to show off he also liked to be clever. And he would constantly switch up his tactics mid fight, throwing people off. He had no real specific fighting style, but would improve on the spot. It was difficult to train for, but we managed somehow.

During that time, I tried to get closer and remain as close to Tora as possible. Although it was not overly hard, his fights with Konami-sempai somehow resulted in him always needing a bath afterwards to relax, and must to his annoyance I managed to be responsible for washing him. However, Daisuke would sometimes steal him from me and scold me, pointing out I was too old for that and that as a fellow boy he would handle it.

But honestly, I think he just wanted to act like a big brother to Tora just like how I wanted to act like a big sister to him. Though sometimes I would tease him and maybe more, he seemed to understand my nature by now for mischief and understood that while I was there for him, I was not too serious about him. It was his mind that interested me more, but his body type was certainly better in my opinion. His scars on his body would help me understand what he went through, but I was also personally interested in his white hair and loved washing it for him. White hair and red eyes, common but notable features in various manga and anime. I could not help myself really. But what I really wanted to know was anything he could recall about Neighbor society. Sometimes, he remembered new things.

Actually, he had a habit of remembering things in the bath, but that made sense. I remember hearing a study saying that people think better in water.

Well, we also watched various movies, new and old, although Daisuke was also there. He did not irritate me too much, but sometimes I felt like we were competing over my Tora. He had a good taste in movies though. We all seemed to like the same type of movies even, though to be honest we all just liked a wide range of movies. But surprisingly for our generation, somehow all three of us loved old movies as well.

However, today Tora was officially joining Border. Me and Daisuke were already in a team. Tamakoma-2, or Tamakoma Second. Also known as Williams Squad. I was designated as the leader instead of our glasses wearing sniper Daisuke because I would have a better idea of what was going on with both Tora our attacker, and Dai our sniper. Furthermore, I was very good at analyzing and reading people so it made sense for me to be the leader.

Tora was shorter then all the other recruits, often by an entire head. It seemed like Arashiyama Squad was the one doing the recruit introduction this time. Tora's height made him hard to spot, but his white hair and red eyes helped make up for that.

"Seriously, you claim to be interested in just his mind, but you certainly seem attracted to his body".

"Oh, shut up. It is mainly the scars, the white hair, and the red eyes. But...certainly, I don't go crazy for muscular people either. And he is certainly someone I could get along with for life".

"Yeah yeah".

"Besides, you are pretty much in love with him yourself now...well, I suppose I know why..."

"...yeah..."

As Team Leader, I made sure to properly look up the pasts of my teammates. Well, Tora and Mimik were kinda impossible to do without asking them. But with Daisuke, I learned quite a bit.

Like how his mother was pregnant with his little brother when she died.

How his father was depressed and was getting support from his aunt.

How he was currently living on his own like myself.

Honestly, the more I read the more depressing it got. It was probably why he stayed at Tamakoma Branch half the time, and often took Tora home with him. Though, that might just be because Tora discovered he hates sleeping alone. It couldn't be helped though, he was always alone really in that lab for all those years. Even if he has trust issues, he also longed for companionship. And it wasn't just us actually, he had been picked up by Jin a few times, and even Konami and Reiji. Once even by Yotaro when everyone else did overnight training and he passed out in the hallway.

He was still quite a child, but that was because his actual childhood was stolen from him. To us who experienced normal childhoods and had options, he was denied all of it. So we all thought he deserved to be spoiled quite a bit. Well, maybe we were being a bit over-affectionate and invasive at times, but watching him get embarrassed was something cute and funny to all of us.

But that was probably why. Daisuke not only lost his unborn little brother, he had a number of friends who lost siblings they knew as well. Little brothers and sisters disappeared as well, people he knew and played with, so there was quite a large hole in his heart for a long time. A large hole Tora had finally filled. So, although he was stealing Tora away from me, I would make sure after my victory that I did share him a little.

"Anyways, Daisuke. I have to admit, I am surprised to hear about your Trigger makeup the most. Especially..."

"Hey hey, don't say that hear. People might be listening!"

It seems he wanted to keep it as a surprise for the Rank Wars, even if I did not understand why. We were going to be the main showcase in the upcoming first Rank Wars battle.

Or to be exact, we had been told that while Tora takes the few days needed to gather those points and get to B-Rank, we were actually going to have our first Rank Wars match. As a new team though, we would be at the very bottom. We had concerns about starting without Tora, but...

"With the recent development of new Triggers, new stratagies that might be more dangerous are being developed. But it also means if we can hide our cards as much as possible, we could really succeed and surprise them".

That was why Tora would not reveal the finalized version of his Trigger in the first Rank Wars, but to make it so that he doesn't just sit around during the match, we would do it while he was still in C-Rank.

He didn't mind not watching either, as he was told by Konami that it would be a very boring match. That was why it was just us, us and our new operator. Yuri Rindo, the niece of our Chief Rindo. Sometimes, she would also join in my fun of Tora, as she apparently had quite the playful side. She even agreed that when we had that hot springs trip, we should bring Tora to the girl's side. His reaction to that was quite funny.

And on our way there, we ended up running into someone.

"Ah, excuse me!"

"Oops, sorry".

It was Yuki Tsukiko, an All Rounder for Tsukiko Squad and therefore their leader.

"Ah, its you two...the ones with that boy, Tora right?"

"Oh, yeah".

"I see...good luck then".

Without any malice, he just gave us a sort of good luck send off.

"I guess...he probably doesn't hate Tora then?"

"Well of course, Tora is so cute! People shouldn't hate him anyways!"

"I feel like...your condition is getting worse..."

"But I totally ship it!"

"Huh?!"

Suddenly, running through the hallway after Yuki was another, his teammate Suzume. Apparently she stuck around to listen to the conversation though, and then shipped me and Tora before running off.

I think I like her already.

"Sarah! We better run, or we will be late!"

And so, we ran so we were just barely able to make it in time. As expected, our first match was against the lowest of the low ranks. It was me as a sniper and Sarah as a Shooter. It was City Scape A.

"I see now what they meant by being easy".

It all felt like nothing at all, as if this match was barely even important, once I realized the difference. We were receiving Spartan super training from Reiji, so compared to him these guys did not mean much.

After making it to a rooftop, I saw one member of the enemy team already. He must have just got promoted, because he was not that good at using cover. Daisuke shot him in the head from another rooftop, and took him out which scored us the first point.

"Careful you two. Just because you seriously overpower them does not mean to drop caution. Let's perfect score this with eight points!"

"For Tora!"

"Yeah!"

"You two...if you keep this up, it will seem like Tora is the sole main character and you two are just sidekicks".

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. Just...huh?"

"Did something happen?"

"N..no, nothing happened".

When I spotted two members of an enemy team meeting up, I combined Viper and Meteora and launched it at them with a bit of impatience in my voice following.

"That was a lie! What happened?! What happened with Tora?!"

"Please focus on the match! Also confirmed two kills!"

Meanwhile, Daisuke was remaining cool in the head as he took out another member of an enemy team with another headshot, before moving to reposition.

"Daisuke, aren't you concerned?"

"No, the rules state Border Agents cant fight each other outside training and Rank Wars. And Tora can handle himself. And if anything should happen..."

Daisuke finished moving and set up his rifle. He let one of the last members come into view, but he was using two shields as protection. However, because they were already up Daisuke just kept tracking him until he dropped them.

"...then I will calmly deliver retribution to them for hurting my little brother".

"...guys, should Tora just be the leader? Normally the leader should be the core of a team".

"Relax. It's just, Sarah's hobby happens to make her focus on Tora even if its to a scary level".

"And Daisuke...well, its not something to really bring up".

"Its okay Sarah, I know I am sort of just using him to replace them. But...as much as I need him, he needs me. Besides, I would say the real main character is Jin. Always with that attitude, always in control. He is manipulating all of us you know?"

"Yes yes, you two are...ah, Sarah, behind you on the second floor!"

"Meteora!"

Suddenly, I exploded the entire building behind me with an excessive meteora attack. This scored us our fifth point. At this point, this caused the last guy to lose his cool and drop the shields...and then Daisuke sniped him in the head.

"And the victory goes to Tamakoma-Second! With a dominating eight-zero-zero! Even with only two people, they managed to score every single point!"

"And besides, we just won the first Rank Wars match without him. I think that makes us main characters too".

"Sarah, your just saying that because you want to cuddle with him".

The two were ejected from the cityscape while having this conversation. One might question if this conversation even had a point, but then the two looked at their operator instead of continuing it the moment they appeared.

"So, what happened?"

"Ah...there was a bit of an incident...and then subsequently, Tora made B-Rank".

"It only took a single day..."

"Should have expected that".

And so, Tora Rokuda became B-Rank while we won the first B-Rank Wars match, letting us have a complete team when the fighting would really begin.

(Poor Daisuke...his story is so sad. He might need some hugs too, just like Tora did. By the way, credit for Yuki, Suzu, and Tsukiko Squad goes to TheAnimeTrain! Thanks for letting me use them! Will be tons of fun! By the way, the reason Tora ranked up in a single day while Yuma didn't was because Yuma didn't accept the offer of points from Midorikawa...anyways, the question for this chapter: Who would you ship with who? Can be any OC mentioned in the series with any canon character, or with another OC)


	10. Tora Rokuda 2

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 9: Tora Rokuda 2

Author's Note: So if anyone is wondering if I have any scheduling or reasoning to what I release and work on and when, it entirely depends on the inspiration, ideas, and maybe just a bit of whatever I have been watching recently. I do it when I can, and what I feel like. Thus is my creative spirit!

(Tora POV)

Going back in time a bit...

I thought I had cured it. I was not really wanting to be the kind of person who was comedic relief after all. I thought, after what I heard about its tactical benefits, it would be fine.

It was not fine.

I was shorter then even all the girls registering. And my white outfit matched with my white hair, which made it worse. I should have just altered my style, gone with a black outfit instead of the white all the other Trainees do.

So between those two factors, I drew a lot of attention.

But, there were many people who thought because of my size and age that I was weak. So, before we could even get to training a lot of people wanted to challenge me, give me a good "initiation".

I thought that maybe, the sempais of Arashiyama might not totally hate me for being a neighbor and give me support. Actually, if I recalled correctly, one of their members were on the list of people I was told to fight for points, that when I beat them I would rank up.

But in the end, I got challenged by all my peers, and Arashiyama Squad just let this go on! I didn't sense any malice, but they were smiling micheviously!

These C-Rank people didn't even know me, but I couldn't tell them either even if I wanted to. They just thought because of my height, I was...

"Come on, Chibi-Shota! Lets go play!"

"We promise it wont hurt much, Chibi-Shota!"

"It will be fun, Chibi-Shota!"

"Hey, maybe he is a real shota in the fact that in order to get into Border..."

Most of them were calling me the nickname that somehow everyone kept thinking of that irritated me to no end, but also one said something really dangerous! First off, I was eleven or twelve years old! Yes, I look like someone whose age is in a single digit, but that...that was not the point!

But that person who essentially called me and someone else "that" ticked me off, so I pretended to get upset and outraged like that and got them to all join one huge free for all match. After which, I proceeded to hunt them one by one. They all grouped up into various groups near each other to give me a good beating, but when I encountered a group I would use the Cyclone. I walked up from behind sometimes, striking them by cutting through their Trion Center of their Trion Bodies from behind with the Cyclone's Saw Blades, and then using the wire length ability and the magnetize ability to fly off before they could spot me. I also sometimes used the wire to trip one and then strike the other before finishing off the one who tripped, or if they tried to use a big open area I would jump in the center and swing it around, modifying it's length to cut through their cores.

It was already impossible to hide my primary weapon anyways, it would have happened in training no matter what, so it was okay for me to use it like this.

Anyways, I proceeded to hunt down and eliminate any and all combatants. It scored me a nice sum of points. And when I left...

"You! You are in Tamakoma right?! Recruited by Jin-niichan?!"

I came face to face with my first target, Shun Midorikawa.

"I will bet all the points you need to rank up, so lets have a match!"

He had a look of determination in his eyes, as if he had found something interesting that he would enjoy...but it didn't feel like it was full of malice.

Actually, it reminded me a bit of Jin but with more energy. I don't know why, but I got the feeling...we might actually get along? However, I did feel a bit of what I thought might be jealousy coming from him, especially when he mentioned Jin and Tamakoma.

I was familiar with jealousy due to my upbringing. I was jealous of everyone else, having what I did not. This was the first time I felt someone being jealous of me.

I actually really liked it.

"Sure! Let's have fun!"

He was a really good guy too, because since I only had a Training Trigger he decided to limit himself only to Scorpion. He was a bit interested in my choice of Cyclone also.

The first match I faced against him, we had no idea about each other's tactics and abilities. But he...he was different from those other people, who underestimated me. He actually seemed to be aware of my ability to some extent, and had his guard up a little.

He came at me while watching my movements, which was smart. But, I could be sneaky as well. I launched one of the disks at him and pretended to miss, but then used the recall feature to pull it right back as I moved myself so that it spun around a little and the blade plunged into his back, destroying his Trion core and netting me the first win.

After that, although I could go on ahead and describe nine whole other battles that were longer between the same two people in the same setting repeatedly, lets just skip to round ten of us beating each other up. He was good, and scored four wins against me. But in round nine, I scored a fifth which brought me into the lead. Now, it was the final tenth round.

Midorikawa and me smiled at each other.

"You...are strong...and fun..."

"Thanks...you too".

I felt like a similar development might have happened once actually, but found myself unable to place it.

"Can people watch this?"

"Yeah...but, I set the settings so they cant hear this. To think you are really a Neighbor though..."

"Does that bother you?"

"Maybe a number of others, but it only makes me interested. And well, when I first saw you and how you fought despite the sneakiness, I just felt like you were a good guy".

"I see..."

"The only thing I care about is if they are a good person, and if I can have fun with them. Other then those two factors, I don't care who they are or what they are. And forgive me if this sounds cold, but I don't care about someone's past too much either. Sure, I think what I heard was horrible and given the chance I would pummel them into the ground for it, but that is not the only thing that defines someone".

Now I understood, why there was something about Midorikawa I really liked. He was not looking at me with hatred, or sympathy. There was no pity or rage in his gaze for me. He just...he just saw me as a playmate, someone to like and have fun with. And that was why we were both smiling. Even if he came here with different intentions, we had found something in each other we found likable and fun.

And so, our round ten began. Midorikawa...no, Shun charged forward at me. However, his Scorpion suddenly turned fluid like and he used it as a whip to attack me with suddenly. I sensed it with Danger Sense, but because it was an unexpected way of attacking I had not seen him use yet he was able to strike me. This was how he kept beating me despite my Danger Sense. He kept coming up with new and creative ways to attack me with Scorpion. After hitting my arm with the whip and dealing some damage, he swung it right at me.

I managed to duck under the strike, and then got a shot at his back...is what I thought but he had already pivoted around and struck at me again with the whip form! This time I was able to sidestep it, but he used my evasion as time for him to move behind me.

But I was getting used to him as well, and when I evaded I actually threw one of the Cyclones into the air and hit a lamp post. I used the wire length modification ability to pull myself up and over shun, and then deactivated it to dive right at him striking towards his neck. He just barely managed to dodge, but I was already in mid swing to bring the other one around and cut him in half. Shun had to use Scorpion to defend, which ultimately weakened the blade and damaged it.

I jumped towards him with another strike while swinging the other end around again to get him from behind. Cyclone's ability to attack the same enemy multiple times at once made it extremely useful for me.

But then, he ducked under both strikes. I barely managed to avoid my own blade, but then when I went to focus on him I felt a sense of danger from the ground. I quickly dodged it, and surely enough a Scorpion blade emerged from the ground and tried to stab me in the head. But in all that time, I was able to swing around another Cyclone for a strike while he was occupied with that. He managed to realize that however, and dodged it. But it was not perfect, and I got an arm.

Now we were both leaking Trion. But in a contest of Trion leakage, I would win. But I did not want to win like that, and neither did Shun. That would not be as much fun.

The two of us charged at each other, aware it might not be tactically ideal for either one of us but we did it anyways to enjoy the fight. I retracted both Cyclones and now had one in each hand, releasing a flurry of combo attacks one after another. Even though Scorpion was not meant to block, Shun was able to do so and avoid serious damage. But Scorpion was getting whittled down, and he knew he had to counter attack.

And then, right during a combo he did it. He launched an attack at the wire, cutting it by morphing the Scorpion blade mid swing and preventing me from using those tactics again. WHile I was ccaught with that, he moved around out of my eyesight to strike from behind knowing I could not do that trick from before. But, this time I used my height that I always complain about to my advantage, and while crouching did a back roll behind Shun, and then threw a Cyclone into his back. This destroyed his Trion core, and gave it my victory. A final score of six to four, although this last fight was probably close. I was pretty sure he almost had me several times.

As we returned to the booths, he immediately came over and congratulated me.

"Huh? Thanks..."

"Wait, remember? You are B-Rank now! First day too".

"Oh...OH!"

Then I remembered the very beginning. I had so much fun, I totally forgot about that. Right, he bet enough points for my Rank Up. I was now going to become a B-Rank.

"And then, when you become A-Rank, we can see which of our teams is better also!"

"Ooooh!"

"Hey, you want to go another ten?"

"I do...but wait, no! Better idea! Let me get my full Trigger first! Then we can have a real battle!"

"You are right! Good idea! Come on! Let's get you to B-Rank so you can fully load your Trigger!"

"Alright! Uhh, its my first day here so lead the way!"

"Hey, hold it! I refuse to accept you were only using a Training Trigger then!"

Suddenly, it appeared that a few people who I beat earlier were coming to confront me.

"There is no way one twerp like you could beat all of us! What are you, eight? Nine? Are you even a boy?"

"Actually, he is eleven...or was it twelve?"

"Orphan, no idea".

"Well, whatever. He is somewhere around there".

"Huuuh?! That Chibi-Shota?!"

"...did they really give you that nickname...oi, oi! Don't cry Tora-kun!"

"Uwa! Midorikawa! Tell them I am not really that short!"

"Uhhh...guys, calling him that is a bit much don't you think?"

"To hell it is! He cheated! We should call him worse!"

"Nope, he didn't".

"And who the hell are you?!"

"Shun Midorikawa, A-Rank".

"Wait...what?"

"Now, if you will excuse us, we need to get Tora-kun ranked up! Come on!"

"R...right, following!"

* * *

(Miwa POV)

"..."

"Miwa, you know, the silent approach really doesn't suit this location don't you think?"

"What the hell is that idiot doing...Midorikawa...isn't he the one that always wants to join those Tamakoma traitors?"

"He is apparently really obsessed with Jin..."

"Tsk".

Miwa and Yosuke had that conversation after having observed the events that transpired.

"Whatever, he is only Neighbor bait. I guess if he is B-Rank, he will be better bait".

"Speaking of which, those guys have been oddly silent. And few gates have opened".

Hearing Yosuke's words, Miwa stopped for a bit. He could tell there was something more.

"What is it?"

"Well, maybe its nothing...but don't you find it strange they launched that huge invasion? And lately, there have been reports of people going missing in the city when no Neighbor attack occurd, and yet...I head minor traces of Trion were detected".

Now Miwa fully understood what Yosuke was getting at. That there was a possibility that scientist guy or his men were still here, and secretly growing their forces. A serious issue...and a good way for Miwa to vent.

"Very well, we can leave the Neighbor here alone for now. It looks like we have other prey to hunt that is higher in danger".

"Alright then".

* * *

(Super talented Elite Jin POV)

Jin watched as Tora and the other two moved about. The two had already won their first B-Rank Wars match, and Tora already got promoted to B-Rank. Things were going pretty well.

"So what about it Jin? This invasion you seem to see?"

"It is still coming. Could end great for us, could end poorly. I can't be certain due to the fact I could see the futures of our enemy, but...the worst case scenario is Border getting destroyed. And aside from the Best Case Scenario, there will still be problems".

Kido walked out from a dark hallway and approached Jin.

"You know, you should probably get the lights in that hallway fixed".

"Please focus. I want to know, with these additions how are our odds?"

"Well, I admit that it seems the ones coming after our Neighbor friends might get involved. I only know that this Kranz person will definently be involved, but I cannot guarantee he is the nation that attacks in the upcoming invasion. What I do know though is that both Tamakoma teams and myself will be pushed to the absolute limit?"

"Even with Fujin? With Fujin, you are extremely hard to defeat. I admit, I wish we could see more of that in the training sessions. Having people watch you fight with Fujin would help a lot".

(Now, surely I am not implying some sort of desire of mine to see Fujin returned to Jin here. Certainly not, just your imagination)

"I suppose so. I guess you cant use Amo huh?"

"Please don't joke like that. Anyways, what is our odds?"

"About...a ten percent chance for best case scenario, a twenty percent chance for worst case, with a lot of various inbetweens taking the rest".

"It changed quite a bit..."

"So far, everything with Tora went right. However, there is still three issues I hope to fix before or during the invasion".

"Three?"

"First is, the death of someone close to Tamakoma-Second. Second, the destruction of the Base. And Third...Tora's death itself".

"His death?"

"Yes, during the invasion I saw it...Tora gets killed by a Black Trigger user while protecting someone. The issue is that the someone keeps changing. But it was even you at one point".

Kido frowned when he heard Jin's comment.

"But, I will be in the command room during the fight".

"And you see, that is the issue I have yet to figure out. During the invasion, either someone gets inside the base undetected...or someone betrays us. And that traitor always kills Tora, directly or indirectly. Either Tora gets sent right into enemy forces alone or with a small group, or he ends up getting to base only to get stabbed by someone who appears to be a Border Agent".

"And with your side effect you can see who?"

"They are tricky. Somehow, however this traitor or infiltrator gets in, how they appear constantly changes. I think they must somehow be aware of my side effect, and has chosen some method to ensure whatever their plan is cannot be predicted".

"...but how can they know about your side effect?"

"That is the million dollar question".

* * *

(Tora POV)

Some time later...

"Alright! Now that I am in B-Rank, I can join with the rest of my team!"

"You have to shoot up for A-Rank as fast as you can so we can have our Rank Wars battle!"

Me and Midorikawa were having this discussion. I was now the proud owner of a B-Rank Status, and I had the ability to properly use my complete Trigger. Furthermore, our team uniform was now fully complete. We had a lot of options including color, design, and such. I actually did a bit of the design myself, though it ended up a bit messy.

On my shoulder was the Tamakoma Emblem. Originally it was suggested we go with Teal since few teams used that color, but I did not look the like of it. So instead, we decided to mainline purple with red and black secondary and highlights to put it basic. But to go into detail...

It was long black cargo pants, and a purple long sleeved jacket and red shirt. Although Daisuke tucked his into his pants, I left mine untucked and free. Sarah also went with the long pants, opposed to the idea that the girl's version would be a skirt with just long boots. Our boots were red and black, and we each had a purple cap. The Tamakoma Branch Logo was on the hat as well. Additionally, where my Neighbor Trigger normally is around my wrist I have a normal looking purple and red band.

As for gloves, Daisuke and Sarah use black gloves, while my gloves are purple with red stripes and the ends of them are hidden. My jacket has larger sleeves then the others and are a bit poofier, and yes that is a word that I did not make up, and my pants are also a bit baggy. Not overly baggy, but a bit. Sarah's boots are actually a bit bigger then mine and the same size as Daisuke even though her feet are not. Daisuke meanwhile is actually a bit less roomy then Sarah's, and is apparently so he does not stand out as much.

Originally, we tried to make it as close to each other as possible, but Daisuke is about 166cm, and Sarah is about 149cm. This leaves me, who is about 125cm and that is totally not standing on the tips of my toes with a clear difference in height. So, the uniforms were never really going to perfectly match. And then...well, apparently I don't have much artistic capability. At least with that design computer.

And as for why I did not program my Trion Body to be taller? Well aside from being told that it would only draw attention and make people realize I had a height issue, when meant more people would tease me for it, Kyosuke actually programmed it to be 20cm taller once. He said normally the Trigger would automatically scan it and replace it with an exact Trion Duplicate, but that manual adjustments could obviously be done as the clothing could be changed. However, the moment I experienced it...I fell on my butt with overwhelming dizziness and nausea. It appears that doing such things would result in disorientation, so I elected to keep it the same as my normal body.

Anyways, I was now trying it out around the base, and was rather enjoying it as me and Midorikawa were returning.

"And also, maybe you could convince them to let me join Tamakoma!"

From what I heard so far, it seemed Midorikawa was obsessed with Jin after Jin saved him from a Neighbor, and joined Border to be with him. I certainly had no issue with Midorikawa joining, but the fact that he and the rest of his team had not yet even though I am sure Rindo would be fine with it probably said something. That was why I sensed jealousy from him earlier, it was because I was in Tamakoma.

"So, how much have you experienced yet? Oh, you are new here right? I should show you my favorite noodle place too! Ah, we should totally make plans for fun, some future battles, and what not. Oh, now that you ranked up we should also have an all out match!"

While Midorikawa started to think of all the various things I had not been able to experience yet, I had to admit that aside from the most heavenly commodity Mideen had, soft things like beds, couches, and clothing, the food was also really good. Even if they lacked in Trion technology, they truly did excel in every other field it seemed.

And as we were walking down the hall, we turned a corner and ran into a few new faces.

"Oh, excuse me"

There were two of them. A boy and a girl. The boy had black hair and onyx eyes, or at least one eye was onyx as I could not see the other, and the girl had brown hair and eyes and reminded me...of Sarah, actually. Just brown hair instead of black.

When the two looked at me, it seemed that they recognized me. Probably due to my white hair, red eyes, and shortness. The boy gave me a bit of a look that I could not place but it was somewhat similar to Shun, while the girl gave me a look that reminded me even more of Sarah, a sort of mischievousness and some other stuff as well.

"So cute!"

Suddenly, I felt myself grabbed and picked up into her arms before I even could realize she took action. Was this some sort of attacker skill?! No, didn't Sarah employ this very same skill before?! Anyways, I was now being smother hugged while my feet dangled helplessly off the ground, and kicking the air certainly was not helping.

"Ah, Suzume, I think you might be suffocating him".

"Buuut Yuki! Not only was it horrible what happened to him, he is so cute! He needs love and care!"

Yuki just had a sort of smile on that while looked light, felt very genuine.

"Suzume, I am sure his team already does that. Didn't you already ship him and Sarah anyways?"

"But...but...look! He has white hair and red eyes! The legendary combination you see from a lot of main characters in manga and anime!"

It seemed to be that maybe, girls like Sarah were not as rare as I thought. I was not entirely sure what to think about that, but right now I really wanted to be put down. I am not sure why people seemed to have this obsession with picking me up.

After some talk from Yuki though, I was finally put down and...

"Tora-chan!" x2

Suddenly, I heard two familiar voices call out my name. Me and Midorikawa turned around, and it was my teammates.

"Sarah-neechan, Dai-niichan, did you win already? What is..."

Suddenly Sarah went right over to me and picked me up. I had actually gotten so annoyed at this once that I lectured her on it. Not to mention I was only just put down.

"Sarah-neechan...put me down!"

"Sarah, you probably should..."

Shun just gave me a look of sympathy.

"It's okay Tora-kun. I am here for you".

"Thanks Shun".

"Its you...Tsukiko Squad right?"

"Ah yeah, we just happened to run into I'm now. I hear you won your first B-Rank match. Congratulations".

"Tora-chan, who is this boy?"

"My name is Shun Midorikawa, Tora's best friend and rival!"

Somehow Shun already dropped the honorific, but I actually didn't really mind at all. So long as people did not call me Chibi-Shota.

"Yep. So when is our next Rank Wars match?"

"We have one five days from now, and then another a week and a half from then due to some sort of event or something Border is planning".

As Sarah told me that, I nodded as I understood the situation.

"Then I suppose we should spend the next five days working on our team work and strategy then".

"Actually...apparently the Tamakoma training rooms will be down for three days for updates. And also, you still have not had your medical checkup and..."

I went a bit pale when I heard that. Partially due to my fear and hatred of scientists, and partly for other reasons, I was not entirely happy with the idea of a medical checkup.

"Hold on! There are still things way more important then a medical examination that Tora needs to do!"

And then, Shun came to my rescue by stating something.

"He has yet to enjoy the wonders of a hot springs! My schedule also happens to be open for the next four days!"

Sarah heard those words and then nodded at Shun's suggestion.

"A hot springs trip would be fantastic! A great team building exercise and a truly heavenly experience!"

"It is true...out of everything we want to have Tora experience, so far our defense duty assignments or training got in the way of this. We can spend three days at a hot springs, and then the remaining two after the rooms are fixed for training".

"We need to remember to invite Jin-niichan and everyone else from Tamakoma as well!"

"Yeah yeah! Me, you, all of Tamakoma! Yuki, Suzume, what about you?"

"Unfortunately we have a B-Rank Wars matchup the day after tomorrow, so we cant join you".

"Then we should invite Yoneyan and Izumin...ah, sorry, Yosuke and Kohei. Those are nicknames I gave them. Anyways, we should have them join us too!"

"Hey hey, if we invite too many people it will be too big".

"Then just that amount should be good, right?"

"Well...Rindo will probably be too busy, but maybe Konami-sempai and the others of Tamakoma-First might. But, the two you mentioned might be..."

"Yosuke is busy, but sure. I am available. Sounds like fun".

And thus someone new came into the spotlight. From what I could guess, he was apparently Kohei. He seemed nice enough, given he did not look at me with disdain, but...I got a strange feeling about him.

"Alright then! Lets all get packed and meet up somewhere then! I know just the place to go to!"

That strange feeling would have to wait though, as it seemed Shun launched us right into high gear.

(So I already mentioned this last chapter, but in case there are strange people going around and not fully reading every chapter I place, let me say it again: Thanks to TheAnimeTrain for letting me use Tsukiko Squad in this! We discussed quite a bit and some fun stuff should emerge! Still accepting new ideas, but keep in mind implementation will be harder as I go on and eventually once I develop past a certain point I wont be able to accept anymore! Anyways, PLEASE REMEMBER TO READ ALL CHAPTERS for any credit I give, and please leave a review on each chapter! Especially answering the questions I often ask at the end, like for this one: If you were a Border Agent, who do you think you would do the worst against that isn't an obvious choice? EX: Jin, Yuma, Tachikawa, ect.)


	11. Hot and Cold

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 10: Hot and Cold

AN: So, to answer a question/concern someone put in a review that everyone might have, the reason I switch between first and third person is because I need to have that personal touch of First Person at times, but I also need that overhead view of third person as well. Simply put, I realized that the story would be told best that way. But to keep it consistent, the people who get First Person view are specific, mainly the primary main characters.

(Miwa POV)

Miwa and his squad didn't normally go with this sort of situation. After all, the situation itself was rather unusual. But, as there were previous incidents it was not entirely unfounded.

Right now, Miwa and his team were playing detective. To be exact, they were investigating clues near a crime scene that had traces of Trion energy. Of course, as everyone had a Trion Gland inside them, there were occasional minor traces of Trion from those with higher Trion levels. However, there had been a trace of Trion near far too many missing persons cases in the last few days.

Miwa was sure of it now. There was still a Neighbor operating in the area, and he was taking people. And if it was that scientist guy they heard about, he could be turning them into Trion Soldiers, bolstering his ranks. Needless to say, that was a very serious issue.

"Kinda wonder what Jin is doing right now?"

"How should I know? I avoid him when I can, that Tamakoma Traitor, and since he cant see the futures of random people he doesn't see there is no way he can help find the missing people".

Even Jin's Foresight Side Effect was not invincible. But Miwa just also wanted to insult Jin.

"Right, well. It seems that taking random people has caused quite a bit of an issue for sure. If he makes any more of those Rabbit things, we might get into serious trouble. We might want backup".

"If we do, then we will call it in. Now, lets keep searching".

As he turned around, Miwa noticed that Yosuke was playing with his phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Damn...what bad timing. Looks like some of the others are going to a hot springs to relax for a few days".

"Just focus on the job".

"Yeah yeah".

Still, there was something Miwa did not like about this. Was this boy...this Neighbor really worth all the effort they were spending? They already had one Champion, so they shouldn't need him to make more. And the fear Miwa saw in that boy's eyes for a moment, when he considered his fate on returning...was it that he was only one step away from becoming that thing? Had he escaped because his back was against the wall?

And just what did he do to escape? Perhaps that was the real question Miwa felt he should ask. Out of all the unknowns, the biggest was probably what he did during and immediately after his escape.

Miwa felt there were secrets that Tora Rokuda still held, and that one day or another they would be the most important secrets there were. But for now, they had to search around before this trail went cold...

(Tora POV)

Some time after, while Miwa was investigating...

"Come on! Here we are!"

Shun shouted that as he had my hand locked in his and pulled me forward. I was still a bit nervous, but he led us out. He discarded both of our towels to the side of the water, and then quickly got in and sighed in happiness.

As for me, I was a bit awkward as this was my first time standing completely naked in the same room as multiple strangers...well, on Mideen. When I thought about it, this had happened several times in the past with the scientists, though it was against my will. In fact, I was usually shackled, chains made of reinforce Trion chafing against my skin, holding me in place. Other times it was just the threat of serious bodily harm though, and it got really...well, unpleasant with all those guards watching as well.

After all, they did how many operations on me? I had lost count years ago, but my scars gave a good indication. Some of them were not just opened, but re-opened and re-used to save time so they actually did more operations on me then there were scars. But, there was definently a large number of scars. Over three dozen. Many of them had a special process used on them to reduce their visibility to a good level by the scientists, maybe because they hated looking at me or something like that, maybe it was not appealing to their eyes.

If I had anything to say to them, it would be "If you don't like the end result don't do such horrible things then!". Well, that would be after I called them "Sick Psychopaths"...and maybe a few other words I picked up from people around Border recently.

"You going to just stand there naked all day, Tora?"

Suddenly, Shun's voice helped me break out of my thought train.

"N..no! Coming in!"

Yes, we were at the hot springs that Shun had somehow managed to get us. He was very insistent about this one, but I did not know w...

Suddenly, as I slipped into the water, I understood.

Oh yes, I understood. I understood just how amazing a hot springs were!

"Uwwwwaaaaaaaaa. This...feels fantastic!"

"I know right? I was amazed too when I first discovered it, but these hot springs are truly the best I think! This is fantastic!"

I could feel the hot springs water soak over my entire body. Even the scars hidden from the untrained sight felt as if they were getting healed and restored. In other words, the pain and suffering that Tora had for all these years felt as if it was getting washed away. It caused him to be soothed all over.

"Ah, Tora! Here, I know this one technique!".

Suddenly, he turned me around and put his hands on my neck and back and suddenly seemed to undue tension there I did not even know I had.

"Shuuuun...what is this wonderful action you just did".

"Wow...that was only a basic massage, and my fingers feel tired..."

I ended up falling backward and my head landed on his chest, causing me to look up to him with an upside down view.

"That massage thing is amazing!"

"Shun, Tora, you should mind your voices".

Another person spoke up as a few others came to join them. It was Kohei, Kyosuke, and Daisuke. Excluding Reiji who had defense duty, both Tamakoma 1 and 2 were here to enjoy the hot springs, as well as others they knew. And then of course Jin followed them in and also got into the hot springs with them.

Obviously Midorikawa got ecstatic, and went over to talk to Jin for a bit. Well, it couldn't really be helped...and also...

"Uwaaaaaaaaaa"

I was enjoying this heavenly, heavenly feeling. Yes, hot springs truly were one of Mideens greatest creations, along with soft things, tasty things, and cinema things.

"Well, he looks happy".

"Hot springs can do that. Especially someone's first".

"Jin-niichan, wasn't this a great idea?"

"Yes yes, it was a very splendid idea Shun".

"Hehehe".

"I wonder what the girls are thinking and talking about right now?"

That question gave everyone quite a pondering look. What would Sarah and Konami talk about?

"Not sure what it will start with, but Sarah will probably tell some lie to Konami to get her to do something".

"I see...then we should let Tora enjoy the hot springs as much as he can before then".

"Agreed".

Although I could hear what they were saying, I could not really register it because of this amazingly great feeling I had from this lovely glorious hot springs. It was as if the very heavens blessed this water to heal the body and invigorate the mind. I couldn't help but notice just where I was in my training now either, where I had room to grow.

Of course, technically speaking everyone always had room to grow.

So yes, I will definently grow!

But right when I realized my mind was starting to drift a bit more off topic.

So I just decided to solely focus on the magical healing properties of this water. Yes, truly I knew for a fact that the healing power of this Hot Springs was incredible and that all should know to love and cherish them so.

"Uwwwaaaaaa".

"Ah wait Tora not over there, that section is too..."

And suddenly, I felt my foot slide down something and my head got submerged. I flailed wildly, and eventually got pulled back up by Shun.

Thankfully I did not go under long enough for there to be any serious issues. However...

"Tora...that just now...do you not know how to swim?"

Yes, that was right. I did not know how to swim. Or rather, I was never allowed to swim. I mean, all my baths and showers in the lab was mostly me standing naked against a wall while I got blasted with cold water. That was what I had to endure as a "bath".

So yeah, I did not know how to swim. Or ride this confounded Mideen contraption known as a...unicycle I think it was? Or was it a tricycle? Eh, something like that. I didn't know how to ride that either, even though Kyosuke was nice enough to get me one. But yeah, I lacked a lot of normal people knowledge.

"I never really had the chance to learn".

"Ah, I see"

I also did not know how to take a train on my own, or run errands. I did not know how to really use this paper money they had, at least with people. I mastered the art of the vending machine pretty easily. Insert money in slot. Select what you want. Kick when it stubbornly refuses. Apologize to maintence people for breaking vending machine if it breaks and is inside Border HQ. If not inside Border HQ, run away before anyone notices and deny all responsibility.

Yes, I truly did master the art of the vending machine.

But I still had no idea how to use a bus, or what Raijinmaru even was. I still had no clue what every law was, or how to handle people. Though, Konami told me I could just beat them up if they threatened me.

But in essence, I was totally clueless about this world. I didn't even know just how amazing hot springs were until five minutes ago. But I also did not know how to swim. I didn't know a lot of things.

That was what was stolen from me after all. A chance to learn these things. And given that I am Neighbor Bait, I cant go to school either. Aside from lacking any real common sense, it was just too dangerous. Although, Sarah and Daisuke seemed to be of the opinion I needed to go to school no matter what, and that my condition would only get worse otherwise.

I kept wondering what condition they meant though anyways?

"Ah!"

Suddenly, my nose got flicked again. It looked like I spaced out.

"You know Tora, if you space out like that, Sarah will come over and abduct you to the girl's side".

"Wh...what?! No way, they wouldn't let her!"

"Actually, you are short enough that people would probably think you are too young for it to matter".

Suddenly my face went red, while everyone else had amused faces. Seemed that they were teasing me again.

"Really! Not funny!"

"Actually, while a tease, that was probably true".

"Sh...shut up!"

"Naaah. I don't think so".

And so, we all had that kind of conversation while soaking naked in the hot springs. Though it did cross my mind what that one guy Shun wanted to invite, Yosuke, was doing?

(Miwa POV)

"Well?"

Miwa asked his two snipers for a report, though as usual he really doesn't use that many words very often.

And right now, he was more focused on the fight ahead...but also a fight in the past.

 _To think...I showed hesitation, shock for the injuries of a Neighbor...tsk...well no matter, let him suffer._

Miwa was thinking back to his reaction to when he saw Tora's scars. Certainly, seeing all of that...that was quite much. But what might have shocked him even more was what he saw in Tora's eyes. A certain hatred, a certain rage, persisted inside them. Even when he was making that deal with a small smile, Miwa had seen it.

It reminded him of himself.

Miwa didn't like Tora, and he certainly did not want him inside Border.

But in this way, Miwa was okay with letting Tora live. Not out of kindness though. It was because Miwa believed killing him would be a mercy. That rage, all the pain that was inflicted upon him. The long term imprisonment. And from those scars, Miwa could tell there was a lot of pain.

He didn't support the idea to lower Tora's suffering. He supported this idea because the longer Tora lived, the more his past would make him suffer.

Miwa knew Tora would never escape his past, so he knew that he would forever in in pain.

 _So yeah, do what you want. But don't get in my way Neighbor. At the very least we can use you to lure others out._

While Miwa had those cold thoughts and feelings, Yosuke came over to him.

"You done brooding yet?"

"Whatever. Just let me know what is going on".

"Like I said, we have something. It was too far away for the police to think it was relevant but...there are traces of Trion on a van that has been relatively close to all believed crime scenes".

"And the van?"

"We are tracing the Trion now, we should have our answer soon".

Miwa Squad. They specialized in hunting down targets and taking them out. Their favorite prey was humanoid Neighbors.

Although it was not exactly a common occurrence, neither was it a rare one either.

For Miwa, this was what he wanted. After his sister had been found dead as a result of the Neighbor invasion four and a half years ago, he had developed an overwhelming hatred for all Neighbors. As such, he would always hate Tora and everything about him.

It was why he approached Daisuke, he figured he might be like him. And Miwa could tell, without a doubt when he looked into Daisuke's eyes. He held a deep hatred for Neighbors, but the matter of Tora had him conflicted. Because Tora reminded Daisuke of the little brother he had never even met.

Miwa was a bit surprised when he joined Tamakoma, because if it was just Tora Miwa was certain Daisuke would not join them on that alone.

Unless it was that factor.

 _The scars on Tora are proof…that Neighbors commit those acts on each other as well…_

Miwa shook his head and pushed that thought out of his mind. It was a truth he did not care about. Or that he cared about but did not want to admit it. Because it meant in the Neighborhood, there were people who had suffered just like him. That there were victims just like them. That they shared something with them. Miwa, who hated Neighbors, refused to accept that.

If he or anyone else noticed though, they did not point out that it contradicted his reasoning for letting Tora live. But hate was a strong way to blind such facts.

Suddenly, they got results back on their Trion trace.

"It seems to be heading downtown, away from the Danger Zone…"

Hearing that, Miwa immediately panicked. He hated Neighbors, but he was not that cold hearted and nor was he a fool. If this humanoid Neighbor could create Trion Soldiers from living people, it meant if he left the city he could collect more and more people without fear of Border. Without anyone being able to stop them.

Because Mikodo City was the center of Border and Neighbor activities in the world, it was easy to trace any abnormal Trion energy outside the city. But it was also possible to develop ways to mask that Trion energy. Given the amount of time, it would not be strange if they were close to developing something here for that. They likely had something already which was how they masked their presence so far.

"Do we have any general location of a potential base yet?!"

"We have a general area, by the time we get there it should be more specific!"

"Then get moving!"

The four of them, Miwa Squad, immediately began rushing in that location. Due to the amount of time that had passed already, every second counted in this situation. After all, who knew how many victims they had already.

Interestingly enough though, there was a pattern in who was taken. The reason many of these disappearances were reported so quickly and this pattern was noticed by Border was because many of those taken were children. Ranging from around seven, which was notably when Tora was supposedly abducted in the Neighborhood by these people at around that age. Others were older, ten or eleven, and some went up to around twenty, but they were all young people.

A few were even females apparently around the age Miwa's sister would be at.

Though none of his team had asked yet since they knew he would not admit it if it was true, they were a bit worried about what might happen in this situation. Especially if the rumor was true, and lately the enemy somehow knew about certain members of Border and even perhaps knew of Jin's Side Effect.

There were a lot of questions that needed answers. And Miwa planned to pry them out of whoever they were chasing.

It was already starting to get late, however they did not have the time to spare to wait for tomorrow. They had to strike now, before it could get any worse.

But just as they were about halfway there, something unexpected happened.

"Alert! Alert! Multiple Inbound Gates detected! Civilians nearby the gates, please proceed to the emergency shelters at once!"

Another large amount of gates began to open up, and due to the number of gates a few were even able to open up outside the Danger Zone if only barely.

It was certainly a problematic development. It was not enough to defeat all of Border, but enough that they might take losses or people might get abducted.

"Could it be possible they learned we were coming?"

Miwa questioned this, but Yosuke shook his head.

"This is probably just them hiding another move they were making".

 _So lets see how well you can handle this…_

Yosuke thought that as they rushed towards the Neighbor's location.

(Tora POV)

"And there. Feel better?"

"Well, kinda…"

"Oh, just try it. You will see I am right".

I grabbed the brush and tried…and it was clear Shun was right. It was quite painfully obvious, it was difficult for most people to wash their own backs, but my shortness made it even harder.

And…something about it felt really nice.

"Alright Tora-chan, time to get out".

We had continued to enjoy the hot springs for quite awhile, but as time passed Daisuke said that and picked me up out of the water by wrapping his arms around me. This was quite embarrassing because I was also naked at the moment.

"D..don't do that!"

"Oi, if you stay in too long it will go to your head".

"I meant, stop picking me up! Especially when I am naked. At least you have your towel on!"

It was true, Daisuke had a towel wrapped around his waist and I did not. No, I was certain. This was a setup, I was being embarrassed and teased again!

"Oh relax, you are still quite young. And you look even younger, so you should be fine right Tora-chan?"

This time, he put emphasis on the chan. He usually just accidentally did it because everyone else did, but this time it was clearly intentional.

 _I knew it! This is them teasing me again!_

"Maybe I should just carry you like this to your roo…"

And that was just a bit too much. Something like this as much as I hated it and as embarrassed by it I would not overreact, but the idea of being paraded around the building butt naked exceeded my reasonability threshold. I grabbed his arm and applied a relatively small amount of pressure.

"Dai-niichan…it would be a shame if you slipped, broke your arm, and needed help getting changed into and out of your clothes".

"I was just kidding, just kidding! Geese, I am not Sarah you know. She wants to steal you into her room and cuddle with you".

"Sarah is scary".

"I must say, she is quite affectionate…"

"No, you did not catch a glimpse of the paper she is writing".

"Huh?"

"This was the title. 'Neighbors, the Truth about them, and that just like us they can get shy, embarrassed, humiliated, angry, sad, and happy among other things'".

Daisuke furrowed his brows when I told him that.

"Ehhhhh?"

"She says it would help humanize Neighbors and make people realize we are not all evil, but…she said it is not even close to being done".

Daisuke seemed give smile again, but this smile…it felt different. And dangerous.

"Maybe I should have a friendly chat with Sarah first. Come on Tora-chan!"

"First…would you put me down and let me get dressed?!"

After finally getting put down, although he carried me to the changing room before doing so, I was able to get dressed. It was not my normal clothes, but these robe like things that the building let people use while they were here. Although I felt like I was one mishap away from getting completely exposed, I was bribed into it because they were so soft.

I was aware my obsession with soft things was growing quite a bit, but I think I earned the right to be selfish. I had four to five years worth of negative memories with no positive memories before that, I had most certainly earned the right to be selfish.

However, even though I craved companionship after what happened and everything that had occurred I wanted to cool my head for a bit in the night air. Luckily, there was a public terrace people could hang out on so I went there. As I opened the door and let the cool air overcome me…

"Tora-kun?"

"Izumi-sempai?"

When I got here, there was already someone else here. He had his hands in his pockets and glanced back at me as I entered.

"What are you doing here? I don't think I ever really see you alone".

"Even I need alone time now and again, Izumi-sempai".

"Well, being here myself I guess I cant say otherwise".

I felt like I was being a bit awkward around him, but I guess it couldn't be helped. It seemed a bit hard to maintain eye contact with him. I only vaguely knew him as an A-Rank, a member of the elite Tachikawa Squad. But, the way he just appeared out of nowhere when we talked about coming here…and just from the few interactions I had with him.

I walked up next to him and gazed out into the night sky, watching as the stars lit up the night sky.

"Izumi-sempai…do you hate me?"

At major risk to my emotions, I toughened up and asked him that.

"That is…a bit complicated".

He replied like that while giving a faint smile. There was something to it, like he was hiding something from me. Something important. He moved his hand over and started to pat my head.

"I don't hate you specifically, but I don't like you as a Border Agent".

He told me this while patting my head still, with that awkward smile. To be honest, I was fidgeting a little and also had a nervous expression on my face.

"Border Agents should be people that even if they are not in your squad, people who you can count and rely on. I get you are doing this because you are the ones bringing a lot of this latest trouble and want to be responsible, but if push comes to shove it is far too likely you will run away or put your own interests ahead of the fellow Border agents".

He spoke clearly and truthfully. That was how he felt, that I could not be relied upon or trusted. That in the end, I was a risk. Someone who could not be relied upon.

"I think you make an exceptionally bad Border Agent. So its not my emotions you need to worry about, its my trust. Because simply put, I don't see any way I can trust you as a Border Agent. Well, I will go take a walk as you think on that a bit. Although I am sure the others are always warning you not to brood alone, sometimes you need time to yourself to think".

And as he said those words, he left my sight as he headed towards the door. I then heard him say something after that, but before I could turn my head to reply he was already gone.

"Did he do that on purpose?"

(Kohei Izumi POV)

Just a bit after leaving Tora, Kohei was now staring down an empty road. It was the road that led to the hot springs, and as the sun had long since set it was not particularly busy. At least, that was how it was normally.

"Just on time".

Izumi said that as he saw them approaching. Just as expected, three Rabbits were heading right towards them.

"Trigger, On!"

Three Rabbits against him alone, it had the potential to be quite troublesome. But of course, that was if he was alone.

One of the Rabbits was just barely able to block the surprise attack from a Kogetsu wielded by Izumi's captain, Kei Tachikawa. Even then, it still took some damage but then began to regenerate.

"So you decided to fight them, Izumi?"

"Yeah. I have".

After hearing from a distance what Midorikawa was thinking, Izumi decided to quickly join in after contacting his leader. As Tora was going to be in a situation where he could be vulnerable, they knew there would be an attack. Izumi decided to stick close for better protection, but he had another reason as well.

And Izumi had indeed come to a decision. Now, he just had to clean up this trash so he could enjoy the rest of their trip to the hot springs. He summoned two large Shooter cubes of Trion. Because regardless of the decision, he could not just leave these Trion Soldiers alone.

"And my decision is…"

(As much as I also suffer when people leave cliff hangers, my artists sense of passion and creativity demanded this one. Makes for better storytelling...sorry for the suffering! And thank you for reading, I hope you continue!)


	12. Champion

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 11: Champion

AN: Next chapter will be a character summary. I was originally planning to release it after the last chapter, but it felt better to introduce this stuff naturally first and then release the summary chapter.

Izumi launched a full on strike against the Rabbits, using a composite double Asteroid to piece through their tough armor. It seemed like they knew well enough to block and dodge, but they quickly found dodging was a better choice then blocking.

As for why he fought, it was pretty much always the same. It was why he joined Border as well. To fight Neighbors, and defeat them. To make them regret ever messing with their world.

He did not have blind hate like Miwa, but he did not have the mindset of Tamakoma either.

That was why when he heard about Tora, about what happened to him and why he was allowed into Border. About what his uses would be for, and what he desired and decided, Izumi decided that he would form his own opinion of him. And if he was a truly dangerous threat, he also decided to be the one that would execute Tora as well.

Even if the Border execs had something planned, that was the course of action Izumi decided to take.

After all, from what he heard he was uncertain if he could trust Tora. Sure, he fought along side them when he could have ran or kept hidden when they made the initial attack, but from what he heard the moment that Champion thing showed up…he froze up, showed a huge amount of fear, and then despite the others there just went and ran away on his own.

Sure he was just a kid that had suffered a lot and was put in an unreasonable situation, but from that Izumi could not be sure if Tora could be trusted. If given the chance, he would not just sell them out to save himself. If he would truly stick around when things got tough, or if he was someone who was unreliable. Despite what appearances might be, so far the only thing Izumi could see was that Tora was unreliable, full of fear and lacking confidence, and although he didn't like bringing this up as a negative, it was true that Tora was suffering from PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The Trauma that prompted him to go beyond his limits and escape, the shock of realizing all he went through, he would get no reward, no silver lining, as he was a step away from dying and becoming just like that.

If he faced a Champion, those factors would come into their fullest.

By coming here, and observing the boy with his own eyes, he had come to his own conclusion and confirmed these things.

He launched an attack using a composite Meteora and Hound combo to force the Rabbits to stay on the move to avoid the explosive shots, while he then quickly prepared a Meteora and Viper combo which would target right where the Rabbits would move to.

No matter what they chose, the Rabbits would get hit by one, and maybe even both.

Kei engaged the other two Rabbits, but one saw the fight and charged at Izumi to disrupt his attack. And yet, this one was hit by a few of the Viper shots that were actually set to return that way, a counter measure to anyone who tried such a tactic while Izumi prepared his next attack.

But of course, they were not just some average enemy. They were tough enough to endure those hits, and continued their attack. But the defense Izumi and Kei were putting up prevented any of them from getting past or getting the upperhand. They were not the top ranked squad for nothing,, though apparently Tamakoma First was actually unranked because of the fact they used Triggers that exceeded the standards for them to be allowed in ranks.

Izumi was determined not to let a single one past.

Kei watched as both sides regrouped, and then smiled at Izumi.

"So is that truly your decision?"

"He is just far too unreliable to be a Border Agent. He is not someone who I can count on, he is a liability and too big of a risk".

"I see…and yet…"

Izumi heard those words, and reflected back to what he said as he left Tora a moment go to fight on this battlefield. The parting words he left before dramatically disappearing.

"…but as a person? I don't hate you, so why don't you do me a favor and prove me wrong?"

Those were the words he left Tora with. Because all of that was true, all of that was something Izumi fully believed. He believed he was right.

But he saw something in Tora. A spark. Of courage, of power, of change. Even though he suffered in despair, even though he had all that pain, even though he knew that escaping that Champion thing on his own and making it to Mideen should be impossible odds, he took the chance. He ran away, but given the situation running away took courage and hope. And most importantly, change.

Tora had the power to make those true facts about him wrong.

"As a person, he still has room to grow. He has the ability. As a Border Agent, I cant trust him. But as a person, he is a human being. He deserves a chance. And he has certainly suffered more then enough. I understand now, why so many people seem to be ccrazy about him and affectionate for him. Some of their methods might be odd, but…it is clearly something he has long needed. And besides, I am not the kind of person who can just sit by and let a child suffer".

Actually, Izumi did not bring it up as the person himself was unaware of it, but he understood why Sarah, and maybe she told this to the others as well so they knew, acted in such a way with Tora. Why they would always pick him up, why Sarah, Daisuke, and the others never let him bathe alone, why they would always end up touching him

It might seem weird and maybe even a bit creepy at first, but Izumi found it a bit odd they were all like that until he realized the same conclusion they had come to. He had no memories before the lab. Inside the lab, he had been isolated and alone. But to be exact, everything he had done and experienced was felt through tools, attacks, and Trion.

In other words, before coming to Earth, to Mikodo City, Tora had no memories of physical, and especially skin to skin contact between humans. A mother's love helping them bathe, dress, and raise them when they were young was an embarrassing memory, but also an important one. Even just hugs, being lifted up and riding around on a parent's shoulders. Being carried up stairs too big or over long distances. Getting cleaned up when they make a mistake doing it themselves. As embarrassing as they were, as humiliating as they were, they were memories that were important.

Tora lacked those memories, and so that was at least part of the reason the others did what they did. Of course, they were not stupid about it. They did not treat him like some baby or little kid, just someone younger then them that they cared for and worried about. Picking Tora up was not just some running joke they had. Even if he was embarrassed by it and seemed like he didn't like it, the truth was subconsciously he did. He loved that attention, that affection, that treatment. He loved the baths and the treatment and the skinship. He loved that they accepted him and his scars, and did not reject what happened to him like the scientists that did it themselves. Even if it did embarrass him in the process.

After all, he had a lot of it to catch up on. The person himself just had not realized it. Everyone else had though, which was why they teased and embarrassed him in this way, but no one told the person himself about this. Maybe for the sake of his common sense, and for his mental development in general, it was better that way.

But it was because of that which helped Izumi make his decision. Tora was someone worth protecting. He was someone who had earned a chance, and certainly did not deserve to be treated in an antagonistic way. The reason Izumi had said what he said was not to hurt Tora, but it was because where everyone else needed to show him that warmth, Izumi would be the one who told him something else he needed.

How to grow as a person.

"I see…well then if that's the case, I better lend my help as well. By the way, is it true…"

"Oh yeah, Chibi-shota while mean is certainly an accurate nickname. Maybe even Eternal Shota if his body fails to catch up in time".

However, based on what Izumi heard happened and what he had seen himself in that hot springs, he believed that growth would only be mental and not too much in terms of physical growth.

Actually, it was only a theory at the moment, but Izumi suspected the scientists might have done that intentionally as they were worried about the growth hormones and puberty hormones somehow screwing up their work. It would certainly explain both their pick in test subjects, and Tora's stunted growth. Supposedly Tora claimed to be 125cm, but Izumi had to wonder if that was just him fully stretching his body out and on the tips of his toes. Izumi wouldn't be surprised if it was more like 119-120cm, maybe even a bit lower.

But, he decided not to bring that up at the moment. They might just be Trion soldiers, but they were facing Rabbits after all.

"So lets hurry this up. We don't want to ruin their little vacation after all!"

Of course, they were also members of the top A-Ranked team, so it did not take them too long to finish this up.

Izumi wanted to see if Tora could evolve and overturn his beliefs. Even if he ignored all his good natured feelings, he thought it would be interesting to see Tora evolve, and how that evolution would take shape. He believed it would be quite interesting for sure.

* * *

(Miwa POV)

The change was sudden.

In just a moment, it had been dead silent. No indication of life anywhere. Nothing to be seen or heard.

And then, a warehouse on the edge of downtown suddenly exploded into action as Miwa squad stormed in.

At that very same time, a large number of Trion soldiers attacked. They were mostly Bammsters and Marmods, but there were one or two Rabbits in the group.

The building itself looked to have gained some recent activity in the last weeks, with strange and unusual equipment. But that was not all.

Trapped by chains made of Trion, and gagged, the missing civilians were suspended on the back wall.

"Now!"

That was when Shohei and Toru, the snipers on Miwa Squad, opened fire on them. However, what they aimed at was not the civilians but the chains holding them. After that was done, Shohei looked at Toru.

"Hey, are you okay sempai?"

Even though his form and action were flawless, Shohei noticed an oddity by Toru's actions. It had been a small but lingering thing he noticed in his behaviors and expressions, and given when it started he had a good idea of when it happened.

As the two snipers covered things from a distance, while using their sniper triggers with their main hand their sub hands were using a new Trigger called Scanner Vision, which allowed them to see Trion energy through walls and across distances so that they could see both enemies and the attacks they made.

As they were far away from any action and no enemies were detected heading their way, they could have a conversation like this.

"Its about the Neighbor Kid, right?"

"Its just...whatever".

Toru was a very serious person usually, and also shared a hatred for Neighbors like Miwa. He didn't vocalize it like Miwa did, but he did hate them. However, what he felt when he saw what Neighbors did to one of their own, to Tora. Well, Miwa was ignoring it, but Toru was a sniper. He was trained to be observant, and he couldn't help but notice it. Certainly, he still hated Neighbors. But Tora was just a boy. He was a Neighbor who could fight, and brought trouble and suffering to many. He didn't even deny the fact he would make the same decision again and again.

But he was also a child. Toru could ignore that part, but when he saw what had been done to him his stomach flipped over and he got sick. Not just because of what from his observations he knew had to happen to him to get those scars, but also his own internal conflict. He was supposed to hate that? A child that could still smile after everything was taken away from him? After he suffered for years and years?

Even the serious Toru could not be blind to that. He both hated Tora, and felt sorry for him. That was the conflict inside of him.

As for Shohei, his hatred had never been that strong to start with. He disliked Neighbors, but not to the same way Toru and Miwa did. As such, even when he looked at Tora he didn't just immediately see a Neighbor, but also a child. That caused him to not have such an internal conflict. Just like Miwa's.

"We can talk about this later, lets focus on the job".

The two snipers agreed to that, though honestly they were focused on the job this whole time. That was just their ability as A-Rank snipers. They could converse and shoot at the same time with quite little difficulty, and that let them operate on a higher level.

But to be safe, they should stay fully focused on the job. After all, they were up against quite a dangerous threat.

"Ahk!"

"What is it?"

"This wield bug thing landed on my head or something".

Toru went to look...but then saw something must more ominous.

"Shohei".

"Yeah".

"Errr...I found a larger bug".

Right behind Shohei...was a Trion Soldier that looked like a bug. It looked small, and not very threatening as far as Trion Soldiers went.

And then it opened up a gate right over the two snipers.

ANd as the two Marmods came out...they were suddenly cut to pieces along with the portal summoning Trion Soldier.

"Did someone call for the talented super elite?!"

"Oh, its Jin".

"Hey Jin-san".

The two of them were on Miwa's team, and Miwa himself hated Jin. But Jin just seriously helped them out, so neither one was going to complain to him in this situation.

"Figures you would show up after all".

"I would have been here sooner, but the enemy left some toys on our front door I had to clean up".

While saying something so metaphorical, Jin raised Fujin.

Other Trion Soldiers that appeared from other gates that were also opening nearby just broke into pieces as Fujin restored its Wind Blades. In all truth, when Jin attacked earlier he knew where they would be and launched Wind Blades to counteract and destroy them. That was just how powerful Jin was with that Black Trigger. With both of them there, Miwa Squad couldn't help but be overshadowed.

But in this situation that involved rescuing civilians, being overshadowed was hardly relevant.

"Jin-san, can we count on you to cover the civilians using your Side Effect while we focus on the Neighbors?"

"Sure thing. that is why i am here, after all".

"Excelent".

Neither of them noticed, but Miwa himself was aware of all this...and also extremely annoyed. However, Jin's arrive did make it possible for them to focus on the Neighbors. Miwa, who wanted to kill all Neighbors he came across, considered this to be tolerable, at least for the moment, and also decided to focus on the task assigned to them.

Although the enemy forces were essentially made of small fry, there was a large number of them so they could not help but have to deal with it long term. Miwa took out his gun and shot down two Marmods, before turning around and blocking an attack using his Kogetsu. He then sliced the core.

Some turned back into civilians, others were outright destroyed. But then, finally one of those things emerged. Yosuke and Miwa saw right in front of them, a Rabbit.

Yosuke went in first, and directly tried to attack the core. The Rabbit tried to counter, but then Yosuke changed it so that it actually stabbed through it's arm and into its head to prevent it from blocking the core with it's mouth. Miwa appeared behind him, and shot the core several times using his handgun Asteroid. Yosuke then brought his spear back around and with the momentum of the spin, broke through the core.

But right as that finished, a Rabbit emerged from the ground behind them to attack...but then got shot by two Ibis shots at it's core. Needless to say, the core got shattered immediately and released another civilian. That was thanks to the sniping efforts of Miwa's snipers. Thanks to their Trigger Scanner Vision, they were able to predict the attack and countered with a double Ibis barrage. They both had a good level of Trion as well so this allowed them to have quite the powerful shot.

Miwa then fired multiple more rounds into approaching enemies, but they were more agile and dodged...or so they thought, but then the rounds came back from behind and hit them. Those were his Viper Handgun rounds, the same he used against Tora in their fight.

Several more gates began to appear around them though. However, what might be more important was that not only were these gates opening outside of the Forbidden Zone away from the Guidance Beacon, but there was not even an alarm from Border.

In other words, the gates were being opened in a way that bypassed Border protection.

As Marmods began to swarm in, Miwa continued to fire various rounds to take on the Marmods at range, while using Kogetsu in one hand to destroy the Trion Soldiers that got too close with Yosuke.

A few Bammsters also approached, but they were quickly brought down by the overwhelming power of Ibis from their snipers.

And then...

"KREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE".

A chill went down Miwa's spine. Yes, a chill. For some reason, he instinctively understood something. Whatever was coming, it was bad.

Worse then bad, it was an abomination.

That was what he felt as he saw the Champion arrive, screeching.

And he saw that human face on it, a frozen expression of screaming in agony.

Miwa wanted to throw up the moment he saw it.

Yosuke almost did.

The snipers were currently throwing up.

Even Jin was nauseated by the sight of it.

There was only one thing they could think of when they saw it.

 _Death is a better option then becoming that._

Even Miwa, who hated Neighbors, didn't have the intention of doing that to anyone.

 _All those scars...were to prepare him for that fate?_

Even Miwa, who hated Neighbors, who hated Tora, was not sure he would wish that fate on him. That was just how horrid, how grotesque it was to them. Not even the cold, calculating, and full of hatred Miwa could bring himself not to feel sorry for the person who was consumed by it. That is just how bad it was. Even Miwa could not ignore it. Miwa's views did not change. His opinions were still that Neighbors were scum, and that Border should focus solely on killing all Neighbors. He felt confused, and maybe a little depressed, after Kido accepted a Neighbor into their ranks, but he understood the benefits they could gain from this.

But, even Miwa would not give a Neighbor over if it led to this. He would just kill them outright. IN that sense, Miwa might be Tora's last salvation. Because Tora would rather die then become that thing, and Miwa might be the only one who could pull the trigger.

Frustrated however that, even if it was for a second, even if it was because of that thing, Miwa showed sympathy in his mind to a Neighbor, Miwa immediately began firing at it. The Champion however did not take any serious damage even from the Asteroid shots. It immediately charged over to try and crush Miwa's head, but Yosuke blocked it. Or, he tried to anyways, but he was barely able to hold on. If he had not braced himself, he would have been knocked off his feet just now.

Miwa was able to use this chance to attack it with Kogetsu, focusing on anything that looked like a vital point. But the moment he made his attacks, green blade attacks seemed to appear and join with his to focus the damage further and break through the defenses of the Champion. It did not do much, but it was significant enough for it to at least show up as damage.

And with those openings that were made, the snipers fired their Ibis shots to try and open them up more. However, the Champion was regenerating itself. And the rate was not as slow as the Rabbits, it was regenerating with twice the speed.

But as it regenerated, other attacks made form Fujin came out of nowhere and hit those areas which negated the regeneration as Fujin restored it's blades used.

Jin was actually releasing all the blades at once, but had it so some were delayed and would not strike all at once. This allowed him the time to reload Fujin even while attacks were being delivered, an ultimately powerful and even a bit ridiculous ability. But this was why Jin was S-Rank.

The Champion screeched with its usual screech, and went after Jin. But Yosuke moved around it and striked its legs with a combined attack from Miwa's Kogetsu. At the same time, both snipers launched an Ibis shot into each of them as Miwa fired more Viper handgun shots. But this time, they were lead bullet shots and instead of doing damage they added a lot of weight.

Or at least they normally did, but the Champion did not seem to slow down at all. In fact, it was still getting faster. That was just how much raw power and strength it had. Lead bullet did not even seem to phase it.

And even though a S-Rank and four A-Ranks were fighting it, the Champion was not even severely damaged yet. That also spoke volumes about his strength, its ability, and its danger.

And so, this forced their hands. Yosuke, Miwa, Shohei, Toru, and Jin all launched a singular combined attack at the core of the Champion. All of Fujin's wind blades at once, Shohei and Toru's Ibis shots at the maximum output possible, Miwa using Asteroid and Kogetsu attacks at the same time without any delay in either, and Yosuke using the full power of his spear.

All of these attacks were launched at the same time as each other. This was proof of their skill, of their ranking. Even if Miwa hated Jin, he could still coordinate with him perfectly without speaking if he wanted to. It was impossible to deny their skill.

The power of this singular attack managed to do heavy damage to the Champion. Its high resistances had endured the separate attacks, but this single combined attack from everyone had exceeded its resistances by quite a bit. However...

"It's not going down!"

The Champion still stood. Heavy damage was inflicted to it, but even so it was not severely damaged. If one compared it to a game, then it would be said that a Champion possesses high HP as well as damage resistance.

But, it was clear that significant damage had been dealt. Enough that instead of sticking around with most of the minions already gone, it collected a large group of equipment and then ran off. And seeing that, they believed that might be the most problematic thing about Champions. It just showed an ability to make decisions, and run away.

In other words, they still possessed intelligence. Higher then Marmods and Bammsters. Higher then Rabbits. That was probably the most dangerous and problematic part of all.

It was an enemy that chilled them to the bones.

But they still managed to at least repel it. On the other hand though, it took all of Miwa Squad and S-Rank Jin to just repel it. And that also scared them. B-Ranked Squads would stand no chance against this thing. C-Rank Trainees would just be in the way.

And they wanted to make more of this.

"We better go report what we learned about the Champion. This needs to be reported immediately".

"Agreed. It looks like we rescued all the civilians though".

"But the humanoid Neighbor never made an appearance, and those gates opened without any alarms from the base. We need to investigate further it seems. Call a Border Engineering team, and another A-Rank squad. It took some of the equipment, but it could not take all of it. We might be able to learn something from this, and make use of it".

Jin just looked over at Fujin.

"Looks like I will be really needing you a lot in the coming days".

(And woot! We got a lot of action this time around! But yeah, that Champion even spooks Miwa. Its existence makes quite a few people sick to their stomachs. Hope that gives you an idea of how horrible it is. Now, as for the question: What do you think of how I used Izumi, and his evaluation of Tora?)


	13. Side Chapter: Character Summary

Welcome to another World Trigger: Genesis Side Chapter!

We will be talking about some of the characters stats and summary!

This is certainly an OC centric story, but don't think that just because Tora draws a lot of attention that he is the only MC. In fact, this story will have major roles for Jin, Shun, Izumi and Miwa! And a few other canon characters that seemed a bit neglected

First off, I suppose I should explain why I excluded the three of Yuma, Osamu, and Chika. That was because no matter how I looked at it, I could not get the characters to work with the story. It would cause friction and flow problems. Sorry everyone!

As for why they got called Tamakoma-2...that was just the name given to Yuma's team because they were the second Tamakoma squad. Since (sadly) there is none of htme here, the name would fall to Tora.

But yeah, expect to see a lot of the canon characters do important things too! And of course, and here is the part I think everyone will love, we get to see Jin use Fujin for more then a single battle! Yaaaay!

Anyways, so lets start off by discussing Tora's stats. Tora's stats are a bit...high, due to the brutal, horrific experiments done to him. They were really horrible, and then they made him do test after test that honed his skill.

As such, his speed, agility, reflexes, senses, and endurance are all high. He also has strength, but it is not quite as comparable as the others...probably didn't want him breaking out on his own or anything. But because he spent all that time not only being forced to do brutal practice combat trainings, and such things, as well as always looking for a way to escape, Tora has exceptionally strategy ability!

However, Tora's luck stat is ABYSMAL. He essentially has horrible luck. If this has not been clear, he was discovered by Miwa. He was imprisoned for most of his life. He is repeatedly put up against opponents he cannot defeat solo or deal with well (Champion, without the "Arsenal" ability of his Neighbor Trigger he would have lost that fight against Miwa, and technically speaking Sarah has defeated him using logic several times).

Tora's height is approximated around 125 centimeters, max. There was a chance he was actually standing on the tips of his toes when the measurement was made. This "official" measurement makes him approximately only 26 centimeters taller then Yotaro, who is five years old...a constantly demeaning fact.

Tora does not know this yet, but his hair and eye color actually came from repeated genetic experiments done to him. His natural colors are completely different, but they have been permenantly changed now.

He also has several nicknames he despises. The main one being Chibi-shota.

Here is a look at some of the details of his Border Registration Papers:

Tora Rokuda:

Age: 11-12 (Exact is unknown)

Physical Description: White hair, red eyes, claims to be 125cm tall (About four feet). Weight is...low. Even for his short height. Physical abilities, without a trion body, however exceed normal limits by a dangerous degree. He is fairly thin. Although his body is covered in scars, it appears the scientists used some technologyon his body to make them difficult to notice.

His blood type is AB, and he is a perfect receiver for all blood. (Doctor's Note: Potential reason to be a test subject?)

Mentality Notes: Due to his abnormal upbringing, it is hard to really pin this one down. He can be childish, silly, playful. But he has a serious side, and in combat can really get dangerous. Even when out of combat, occasionally he can be observed as having "sharp eyes".

Combat Roles: He is an Attacker-Shooter. He will make use of both melee and ranged attacks, but seems to work better with melee. Has Berserker like qualities at times. He is one of the few users of a new Trigger developed called "Cyclone".

And here are the files on his team, just to compare.

Daisuke Shinya:

Age: 15

Physical Description: Black hair and eyes, he also wears glasses. However, this medical professional is confused what is wrong with his eyes given he is a sniper. In fact, he has perfect aim it seems. (Side Effect?) This is a real puzzling question that this medical professional would like to investigate some time. Anyways, otherwise...he is totally average.

His blood type is O+. So he should probably avoid getting stabbed, unless there are medics nearby with blood bags to collect it.

Mentality Notes: He has quite a bit of complex feelings. At this time, it would be a mistake to summarize his mentality as it is in a state of constant growth and flux. Before, he hated Neighbors completely. But now he is willing to give them a chance. Tora and his situation seemed to have affected him greatly.

Combat Roles: He is the team Sniper, though he also possesses Shooter triggers just in case. He is a crack shot that seems to be able to make shots that most would consider impossible. Quite frankly, his degree of skill is scary and a bit shocking. He is very good at supporting the team, and is also known for his use of traps. Leaving him alone in a fight is a pretty much suicidal idea.

Sarah Williams:

Physical Description: A black haired girl with a bit of an above average height, she is growing well and has plenty of ability. She is physically good and...well, otherwise physically is very normal. Except maybe that brain of hers.

Her blood type is O-. So also avoid getting stabbed unless there are medics there to collect it. O is a universal doner after all.

Mentality Notes: Impossible to collect. She might seem eccentric, but as she is a sociologist attempting to actually figure out her mentality is impossible as she would realize the data gathering attempt, reverse it on this medical professional here, and then I will get psycho-analyzed. No thank you. But from what I heard, she is a nice girl who wants to help, but may also have a deep obsession not just with the Neighborhood, or even Tora himself, but also manga and anime. I hear she can lecture on and on about the "White hair red eyes phenomenon".

She is an exceptionally good study as well, and her ability to memorize should be praised. Although it is believed she has a growing rivalry with Daisuke.

Combat Roles: A straight up Shooter, she excels at using her ability to memorize terrain as well as her ability to create new Viper paths with each activation to rain hell down on her opponents. Whether its Tora spotting them while on the move, or Daisuke spotting them through scope or Radar, once she learns and enemy position, she can use a Viper+Meteora combo to rain hell down upon them, often obliterating her opponents without ever seeing them herself. That is just how scary she can be.

Additionally, the squad seems to be close with another, Yumi Subaru. She is another fifteen year old member of Border. A high ranking B-Rank agent that is near getting promoted to A-Rank. She is in the same class as Daisuke. She is an attacker that uses Scorpion. Due to certain reasons, her profile cannot be uploaded at this time, but it can be said that she is already A-Rank in terms of skill, ability, mind, and everything else. Her team is also a group that is said to be A-Rank material, and her formation is similar to Miwa Squad: One Attacker, one Shooter (though Miwa's shooter, Miwa himself, also is an attacker), and two snipers.

Right, well those are notes from a certain medical professional...the same one Tora has been avoiding this whole time.

He really doesn't want to do that medical exam...

Well, next chapter...the start of the next B-Rank Wars! :D


	14. B-RW: Tamakoma-2 vs Suwa vs Temba

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 12: B-Rank Wars: Match 2-1 (Tamakoma Second VS Suwa Squad VS Temba Squad)

AN: Time to introduce a new squad, and they might just be even bigger oddballs! Also, has anyone gotten inspired and had any ideas for new Triggers yet? I am quite curious to see what people come up with.

(Tora POV)

It had been a few days since the hot springs Adventure. Some embarrassing stuff happened, some fun stuff happened, and I learned a few more things. Konami-neechan's advice to deal with people has so far only came up once. I accidentally got lost while walking to the nearest candy store, and then some guy tried to force me into a van. So I beat him up, and then walked away. Konami-neechan actually said I should have kicked the guy again just in case though.

Anyways, that is not relevant.

Right now, I was running through the halls, just making it into the Squad room for our B-Ranked Team.

"Sorry sorry, I got lost!"

"There you are, Tora-chan! Alright, Rindo-san, we don't have much time. Can you run us over everything quickly?"

"Sure, Sarah-chan. Tora-chan, pay attention okay?"

"Yes!"

Their operator, the niece of their Chief Rindo, brought up data of the people that would be their next opponents in the B-Rank Wars. It was technically the second match for their team, but Tora had not been a B-Rank yet (though he made it during the match itself) and it was a low ranked battle so they were just dealing with the lowest ranked teams.

But now, they were in the mid ranks. There was no guarantee powering through it would work, although it was actually pretty possible. However, in this match there was an oddball team other then them.

"Suwa Squad is simple and easy to explain. They are a team that prefers close quarters fights, no snipers at all but they do have excellent skill in close range. However, the other team, Temba Squad is quite unique. Their leader is Cylian Temba, and the other two teammates are the twin brothers Roku and Yachi Takashi. They are what could be called Trap Masters".

"Trap Masters?"

"There are a number of Triggers not often used by Border Agents, or are new and have not gathered much attention yet. Quite a number of them are Traps. Sentry Turret, Switchbox, Wire Gun. I hear they also use Meteora to leave mines. Switchbox will be especially troublesome, since it can be used to place and operate traps remotely. Teleport pads, blades shooting out of surfaces, explosive mines, even placing Defense Turrets, which is like a weaker Sentry Turret, to fire upon enemies".

"Can you tell me more about Sentry Turret? I have not heard of that one".

"It's a new type of Trigger based on the recent development of Defense Turrets for the Switchbox. It seems like Border thinks that as a Defense Agency, we should actually have some defense based Triggers. Pretty smart idea, actually. This is one of the few teams that are really specialized in them though, which makes them a pretty big unknown in how to deal with".

Suwa Squad who specialized in close range and Temba Squad who specialized in traps. One who specialized in offense, and one in defense, if you will. Those would be my first enemies in the Rank Wars. The first challenge.

"I think that we cant leave the trap users alone or else they will just spread them non-stop. Anything else you know about them?"

"They all use the same Triggers, but switch up most of what trigger is assigned to what hand with each unit. The only constants are a Raygurst in the main hand, to serve as both a melee weapons and a shield so they can save a Trigger space. And they keep a Switchbox in both the off and main hand, so that they can work on it and use any other Trigger with the other hand. I think they also keep meteora in their off hand as well, but otherwise they mix up Bagworm, Sentry Gun, Wire Gun, and Flash Grenades, each one having them organized differently in their Triggers".

"The issue is that if we go after the trap users, then Suwa Squad will sandwhich us between them and maybe even force us into the traps".

"Then it sounds like we might need to split up, and handle both teams at once. Prevent the trap users from fully setting up, and make sure Suwa Squad does not box us in".

Sarah looked at the data provided, and then the two of us.

"Okay, I think I have it. And I think I also know the best map for us to use in this situation too. Oceanside B".

Oceanside B. A medium-large sized map. There were a number of tower type locations, like the lighthouse, the church tower, the hillside mill, and others for Daisuke to use. The oceanside town that took up most of the map had streets just wide enough to avoid being bottled into a trap, but provided enough cover to defend against an assault. The buildings were just high enough for good cover, but low enough for Daisuke to be able to effectively snipe from the vantage points and cover us both. I should be able to use the buildings for cover as I assault the trap users, while still having the room to move around to avoid traps. And the buildings will also be low enough for Sarah to bombard Suwa Squad using her Viper and Meteora combo.

That was the plan that I saw, and Sarah explained. It was our best move. Daisuke can cover both of us, Sarah will bombard Suwa Squad without ever looking at them, and I would stop the killzone of traps from being set up.

"Everything is set up and good to go. So now your up to speed, Tora-chan. You ready to take them on?"

I smiled as I raised my hand and did a fistpump….and I also noticed based on the expressions on their face they thought it was adorable! What the hell people! Stay focused!

"Guys!"

"Right, sorry sorry! Okay, lets win this!"

The team got ready to warp.

(Suwa POV)

"And so that is what we know about Temba Squad. And now these newcomers, Tamakoma-Second is it?"

As Suwa, captain of Suwa Squad, asked this, their operator brought up the data on Tamakoma-Second…again…

"I suppose I should be thankful you are at least trying to remember this stuff. Tamakoma second, the recently created second squad for Tamakoma Branch. Tora Rokuda, last name is almost certainly fake, a Neighbor and also Neighborbait…and…other facts".

The operator made a grim face as the data about Tora poured onto the screen. Suwa was quickly to break the trance.

"Oi oi, let it be. Just focus on this battle".

"Right. Anyways, he is one of the people who uses the recently developed Cyclone. He was able to take on a ton of C-Ranks, and although it was close, he defeated Midorikawa six to four…"

"…he defeated an A-Rank? And Midorikawa at that?"

"Yes, but each member of their team is skilled. Just look at the logs of Sarah and Daisuke in their first B-Rank match. Even if it was the lower B-Ranks, they eliminated all of their enemies with little to no effort. Hell, they were bickering a bit the whole time".

And as the operator told them this, battle videos of Sarah and Daisuke played on the screen. Certainly, it looked intimidating.

"Okay. If Tora wants to fight us, he will have to come up to us close which means we can overwhelm him three versus one, but that requires him being alone. That Shooter might be our biggest issue, so we should try to take her out immediately. After that, we go for the Sniper. And then, we go for the attacker. Then, we storm the castle set up by Temba Squad with a bit of an…explosive…touch".

"Well…it certainly makes more sense then risking Tamakoma attacking us from behind while we siege Temba Squad…alright, its time! Move out people!"

(Temba POV)

In the Temba Squad Room, there was one operator and a single boy changing to monitors to show various data. Near the monitors was a game console that was still active, and on the couch nearby there were two identical looking boys that were younger then the boy by the monitor had controllers placed down at their side. It was obvious that until a moment ago, they were playing video games. There was actually a controller still in the hand of the slightly older boy as well.

The operator was wearing standard Border clothing, but the three boys were wearing matching outfits. Large long sleeved dark grey jackets that were designed much like winter jackets, and dark grey combat boots that that went three fourths of the way to their knees. Because the setting chosen for this match was an oceanside map, their outfit consisted of shorts. Actually, they wanted to just wear a T shirt and a swimming suit as their Trion forms, but they kept getting yelled at for doing such things. So they just always changed parts of their outfit to match the map conditions. On each of their upper left arms was a red bandana tied around it, and a visible Bear Trap icon was on it. And on their heads was a dark grey army style helmet, but with the buckle to go under the head to fasten it unbuckled and free. Their Squad Logo was on their right sleeve, and the Border logo was on the helmet and back of their jackets.

The short twelve year old boy with brown hair and brown eyes watched the logs of Tora, Daisuke, and Sarah. It was definently a squad to make note of. And also…

"So he is a Neighbor huh?"

"Damn, who cares about that. He would have been great for our team".

"Errr, we specialize in traps, he clearly doesn't".

"Its always nice to have someone like that just in case".

"Besides, he is around our age right? He isn't even taller than us either".

"Would you two focus?"

"Sorry!" "Sorry!"

The short eleven year old twins, who had black hair and green eyes, apologized in unison. The entire team though seemed casual and laid back, as if they were just going out to play.

"So, then…"

"Who will be the one to attack us first?"

"I think Tamakoma. Suwa will probably want to take out their shooter and sniper first and…"

Temba went to grab something out of an empty bowl, and then noticed there was nothing there. After that, he glared at the twins.

"Who stole my chips?"

"Roku did it!" "Yachi did it!"

"…you guys! How am I supposed to have a strategy meeting without snacks to keep my brain working?! Do you want us to lose?!"

"Oi, are you three going to keep up this pointless conversation?"

Temba shook his head as the operator commented on their conversation, and then the two looked back at the data.

"We should probably just set up as soon as possible. The map they chose is not the most ideal. A good balance of cover and room to move, bad for traps".

"Ehhhh, you are worried about odds?"

"That is unusual".

Temba just smiled and spoke in a somewhat silly joking voice.

"Aww shut up you two. The Trap Trio can make any location into an advantageous one, waiting to swallow up our enemies! Just make sure you remember to use Bagworm at the start!"

"Kaaaay!" "Kaaaay!"

"Alright, lets head out then!"

And so, the very atypical, very young Temba Squad went out to deploy in this Rank Wars.

Which marked the start of the Rank Wars.

(Announcer POV)

"Alright people! Welcome one, welcome all, to another Rank Wars match! Today, we are featuring the new up and comer, the new kids on the block, Tamakoma-Second! And today as guest announces we have 'I am an adorable puppy' Midorikawa, and 'You are all So So' Konami! Thank you for joining us!"

"Well, I was interested in seeing the match, and making sure the commentary was right. Go get him Tora! Crush them all!"

"Uhhh, Konami-sempai, they cant hear anything we say even though our announcements are live for this match".

"Ehhh? But Kyosuke said they would be able to hear me!"

Midorikawa and the announced looked at each other, before looking back at Konami as they spoke in unison.

"He lied".

"EHHHHHHHH?!"

"Right, well until Konami recovers from that shock, Midorikawa, care to pick up the slack and help me give unbiased announ….what is that pin?"

"Oh, this is the 'Rooting For Tora's Victory' pin, for those of us who see past his history and support him in having a future. In other words, friends and sympathizers who want him to be happy".

"Oh, well, please give unbiased responses…also, if you could get me one of those pins later…"

"Sure thing!"

"Anyways, lets get this show on the road! The teams are materializing now…and Bagworms are already equipped!"

(Tora POV)

Once the light was gone, before I even checked where I was I activated bagworm. I also called up a built in Trigger, Radar, which is in all Border Triggers and does not take a Trigger slot it seemed. And when I looked, it appeared only four people had not activated bagworm. Suwa Squad, and Sarah.

"Dai-niichan, where are you?"

"Heading to the first position now. I spawned near a hospital, you?"

I looked over, and saw that I was near the open, sandy beach. Now that I thought about it, I had not been to the beach yet either. Something to do after this B-Rank wars then.

"Do we have any idea where Temba Squad spawned?"

"One spawn position that was now Daisuke yet immediately bagwormed was next to you. Head north, into the town. Daisuke, please reach a position to cover everyone. And Sarah…"

Suddenly, an explosion rocked the entire town. I looked over, and I could see beams of light in an odd pattern. Like, it meant that Sarah had begun her assault on Suwa Squad. And it meant I should get moving on finding those trap specialists.

(Suwa Squad)

"Damnit!"

Suwa swore as he tried to get into cover, but the moment these Viper shots got where they needed they exploded with quite a large force. They were not even in the eyesight of the Shooter, yet she was already raining down on them like there was no tomorrow.

And furthermore, they had no idea where that sniper was. Likely, he was already up in one of the towers, waiting for a good chance to snipe one of them. Tamakoma Second had the only sniper, and got the ability to select the map. Not to mention the fact that their abilities were still major unknowns, and not many people knew what Triggers they had. So far, only Cyclone was confirmed for Tora, Viper and Meteora for Sarah, and an Egret for Daisuke.

They had no idea what other surprises might be in store. But it seemed likely one of Sarah's teammates was spotting her with radar, pointing out their locations and making it impossible to evade these attacks. Both members of his team already sustained light damage and were leaking Trion.

Suwa himself though was also a great user of Shield, and therefore had managed to avoid taking damage so far. They were currently running through a building, but the viper shots came in through the doors and windows. Thankfully because of the structure itself it made it harder for her to target, and thus they might be able to make it closer to her.

It was not hard to understand why this was happening through. The other team all had Bagworms equipped, so Sarah could only target them. Neither team could be left alone, so Suwa figured the reason their attacker had not appeared yet was because he was going after the trap users. This meant that if they could take care of the shooter, they might be able to take out the sniper too once he was found and score two points.

But at the same time, it was easier and made more sense to take them out as well for Tamakoma-Second. Likely, they were also worried about being sandwiched between an aggressive team and trap users. So they had decided to send Sarah here to take them out at the very start.

And Sarah was less of a Shooter, and more of an Artillery. She was launching highly explosive shots from somewhere outside their view. It was extremely distracting, and it put them constantly on the run. So then they had to keep weaving through the back streets and in buildings, hoping to run into her. Suwa wished they had decided to use Bagworm given the situation.

So they kept dodging and turning corners, when off in the distance the saw they had a clear sight of the hospital…

"Crap! They led us here!"

Suwa and his squad immediately ducked left, but a sniper bullet rang out and got the one in the right straight in the head.

"Critical Damage Detected. Bail Out!"

With one bail out for Suwa Squad now, the two quickly took a passage away from the supposed origin of Sarah. Although they wanted to attack, it looked like she was fully covered by her sniper. It was suicide to even try.

But as they turned the corner…

A large amount of gunfire was head. Suwa got a shield up in time, but his other teammate was not so lucky. His Trion supply was hit, and he bailed out. But this time, it was not Tamakoma-Second who scored but actually Temba Squad. Suwa ended up evading Tamakoma-Second right into Temba's set up position.

But instead of firing upon Suwa, suddenly the Sentry turret targeted Daisuke's tower with explosive rounds.

It seemed that Temba Squad planned to make sure all were involved, and that Tamakoma-Second did not score all the points.

(Roku Takashi POV)

Roku was just barely able to make it in time to get everything set up. His brother had finished up on his end, and connected it to Roku's switchbox. By now, the sniper should be running back towards the stairs of that building…and then…

"Now Yachi!"

Suddenly, a huge explosion went off in the hospital. They had decided to use Suwa to learn of the sniper's location, and would let them take out the only sniper on the map which they were also worried about. With Tamakoma's Sniper gone, they would be forced to explore the zones they had filled with traps.

"Great job Yachi, but I did not get a bail out sign. What next?"

"Roku! I see you from a rooftop! Look behind you!"

Roku heard the warning and quickly dodged to the side, stepping onto a teleport pad as he glimpsed white hair.

"Noe Cylian-kun!"

And the teleport pad activated, sending him away. Thankfully, with Triggers like Sentry Turret and Switchbox could operate on their own after being created, so there was no loss of Trion to just leave them there. In fact, it would give the enemy something to deal with.

"Thanks Yachi…Yachi?"

"Ahhhg! The got m…"

Suddenly, a large explosion was seen by Roku and Cylian from a bit away, where Roku used to be at and where Yachi warned him of the attack. He also said…he was on a rooftop. He must have been rushing after seeing Tora head towards Roku, and then accidentally got spotted by the sniper. Well, even if he got defeated his traps would still stay around.

Which was good, because after the explosion there was another bail out.

"Was it…?"

"Yeah. It seemed like the sniper was a trap possibly, they used Yachi to find you, and then went after you both. Yachi had no escape, but it's a win that you got away before then".

"Sorry guys!"

Yachi apologized over the radio as Cylian and Roku planned their next move.

"Its fine, but to help inspire you to improve I am confiscating a quarter of your candy bar stash".

"Nooo! Please, I promise I will improve!"

"And you know the deal about being the first taken out".

"...yes sir..."

"Anyways, it looks like the leader for Tamakoma-Second is smart. Alright, we better get moving ourselves…but now, we might need to consider working with Suwa. Both our teams are down people, and Tamakoma is unharmed. We cant let that stay".

"Yeah…but now that I think about it, where did Suwa run off too?"

And so, the B-Rank Wars between Tamakoma-Second, Suwa Squad, and Temba Squad continued toward it's conclusion.

(Well that was exciting! I bet you all are at least somewhat curious to see how it ends! Right now, the score is: Tamakoma-Second: 2. Suwa Squad: 0. Temba Squad: 1. Well, Suwa got used by both groups...poor Suwa, couldn't be helped I guess?)


	15. B-RW: Tamakoma-2 vs Suwa vs Temba (2)

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 13: B-Rank Wars: Match 2-2 (Tamakoma-2 vs. Suwa Squad vs. Temba Squad)

AN: In the words of TheAnimeTrain...sometimes, OCs just need to be embarrassed, humiliated, or suffer in some form. Well, Tora cant hog all of it though! And oddly enough, sometimes those moments can lead to interesting character revelations...besides, the REAL reason why at the end is so sweet you cant help but smile I think...

(Yachi POV)

Yachi watched the monitors and screens as he awaited, at least to some degree, the return of his teammates. Although if he was honest, it was also because he wanted to get this next part over with.

They had a tradition, first one taken out had to do some pretty embarrassing stuff. It was kind of like a game to them, and this was an incentive to win. After all, the negative always had to be super embarrassing, with some exceptions. But those exceptions were a lot worse in his opinion, like the time he had to dye his hair pink. Actually wait, he realized that was embarrassing also. In fact...

"Please put some clothes on. Where did you put them anyways, and how did you change so fast?"

"I cant. Its a promise we made on our bond. Its my punishment for getting careless and being taken out first like that. And uhh..practice?"

"Right...anyways, you could just like, keep something on till one of them bails out and comes back and quickly change".

"I would never betray their trust!

Their operator told him this. He was currently standing without them, looking embarrassed but did not waver. After all, he did realize that his defeat was because of his own blunder. Well, there was another factor but he had no intention of admitting it.

"At least in here, its confined to them...and you if you ever look around! So please focus on the battle!"

In truth, waiting in the waiting room completely naked was actually not as bad as some of the other punishments for the first taken out. The punishment depends on the performance, how you were taken out, and how many people you damaged or took out first. This punishment seemed bad, but excluding their operator which was more like their mom, only the other two would see him naked. And they had seen him naked before.

Cylian Temba, Roku and Yachi Takashi. Only the first names were real, the last names were made up. And actually, those first names were not given by their birth parents either. This is because all three of them were orphans, abandoned at the same orphanage. Cylian and the twins Roku and Yachi. They did not belong to a well funded orphanage, or one that had enough people to properly oversee and take care of them. Everything was limited, even water. The three had shared baths together the whole time they lived there, as well as meals, what education they could get. They even shared the same bed.

That spoke pretty highly about how poor the orphanage was that they grew up in.

And then one day, about a year ago, the three of them were adopted. But not by parents, but Border. Border mentioned they had pretty good Trion levels, and that if they joined they could be taken care of. Cylian was sure it was also for PR, to make Border look good, but they did not care. The main thing they wanted in return was to stay together, as a trio.

That was why they tended to get along so well, and had silly moments and such. Even Yachi, who had to stand barefoot on the cold floor, didn't mind it as much as others might. It was embarrassing for sure, but given the fact the three still share a bedroom and a bed to this day as they found it strange not to and decided not to break that habit just yet.

Besides, as mentioned this was not that severe as a punishment. It was only until the end of the battle. There were far, far worse...like, having to dress up as a maid for the whole day and treat someone as his master, or only being allowed to wear that oversized cat ears and tail sweatshirt and a hoodie...no, Yachi could think of one step further. Having to eat those **supercharged Chilli peppers** for the next three meals, without milk. That was his least favorite. They all hated spicey food actually, so that punishment was only given to someone who had not set up any decent traps, got taken out first, and in a way that was their fault. So far, they each had to face that one time and...compared to that horrible feeling, this was nothing to Yachi.

They **REALLY** hated spicy foods.

The reason that he was being punished this way was because while he had been defeated because he went to warn Roku, he also managed to actually lead them there and fell into their trap, and he also forgot to move more stealthily to avoid being noticed or followed. He did manage to set up a huge amount of traps first though, and two members of Suwa Squad were taken out before him. That was why, instead of being in a maid outfit for the whole week, Yachi got away with just this.

"So? How are they doing anyways?"

Yachi asked the Operator this as the game went on. Although his voice was full of curiosity, there was not much concern there. That was probably because that while they always tried their best and gave it their all, they were never really seriously interested in ranking up. That was because at the moment, they were more focused on playing, working, and living with each other. They were more focused on having fun then seriously working for a rank up.

But of course, they found it was not as fun unless they were truly giving it their all as well. So it would be a mistake to count the group of young boys out yet.

"Actually, there is something of bigger note. Tora just appeared right next to Roku right?"

"Yeah, he ran in...wait, how did he run in without triggering any traps?! He couldn't have just luckily missed them all right?"

"That is my point. Logically deducing this, I think he might be using Scanner Vision".

Suddenly, their Operator came to a pause, and turned around to look at Yachi much to his dismay. She also grabbed his Trigger from the Table.

"Now hold on a minute here...by any chance, are you idiots..."

(Announcer POV)

"Wow! So far, we have yet to have any real stand offs, but it looks like Suwa is down to just the captain, and Temba Squad also lost one of their valued members! Meanwhile, Tamakoma-2 is still at full! What do you two think?"

"I think the one under the greatest pressure is certainly Suwa. But one cant really blame him for the fact he started to take a beating early on. His unit was the only one they could really anticipate, and both teams used that to their advantage. But overall, Tamakoma-2 seems to be the most capable of them".

As Midorikawa gave his response, Konami looked up at the screen and the information. Tamakoma-2 was certainly in the lead with two points, and Temba was right behind him with one point while Suwa had lost both members and had no points. However, Konami did not seem overly thrilled.

"No, although obviously as members of our branch it should be expected that Tamakoma-2 would be capable of this, I think the team that showed the most talent and skill so far was Temba. Tora, Sarah, and Daisuke used the map selection to their advantage for getting a favorable terrain with their sniper while avoiding the issue of traps, but mostly they are using their strengths to overcome and overpower the enemy. In terms of those who show the most cleverness and tactical mindset, that would be Temba so far".

Both Midorikawa and the Announced looked at her with a bit of shock.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, so far Tamakoma-2 was able to stick with their plan because of an already overwhelming gap of skill and power they possess against normal B-Ranks. But despite this, one of Temba Squad had the cool head to realize what was about to happen and was in sync with the other to get a clean getaway. Tamakoma-2 planned to get two more points there, but they were denied one and kept busy with those turrets. That said, although all the members of Tamakoma-2 do deserve praise, Agent Rokuda might deserve the most. He infiltrated a Temba Stronghold without alerting them, and only got spotted by Yachi making it there in time. That was Temba's only mistake, Yachi getting fooled by Tora into thinking Roku had been discovered, and then using him to find Roku. He could have just contacted Roku also, but he panicked and chased probably because they were brothers. That was the single mistake made by Temba Squad".

As Konami's words held merit, neither Midorikawa nor the announcer had any remarks to say about Temba Squad. Of course, there were a few people there who knew Konami well that wondered how she was able to produce such a detailed, accurate, and fair report. But others that knew her could certainly understand her saying that. She was not good at teaching really, except through example perhaps, but Konami was someone who faced dozens and hundreds of battles. She had seen plenty of teams perform tactics, both as an observer and facing against them. So, if it was just pointing out their strengths and weaknesses? Konami could do that quite well. She was not one to hold back on her own people, but would also fiercly fight to protect them.

However, the other A-Rank there quickly made sure to keep things active.

"Well, I obviously cant reveal any secrets as an announced, but I am betting when they heard about Temba Squad, Tora...err, Agent Rokuda made some preparations for the traps they would face".

As Midorikawa added onto the commentary, they then suddenly

"And now...it looks like we might finally see our first showdown..."

(Sarah POV)

Now I was the one that was running through back streets and scouting ahead. Tora was elsewhere, also searching, and Daisuke was repositioning. However...

"They were trap masters, but we should have considered the possibility one went and planted bombs on my sniper position. They might have the others wired too".

They had used traps aggressively on Daisuke. He was still in the game, but leaking Trion. Once we lost the sniper, things would get a bit harder with two members of Temba Squad left given their intelligence and abilities.

"Where is their trap zone?"

Suddenly our operator chimed in.

"Wait Sarah! First of all..."

I quickly noticed it as well, and barely had the time to produce a multi-layered shield to block the incoming fire.

"I finally found you, you damned bomber! I refuse to let this end without getting a single point!"

Because of the intervention from Temba unit that stopped Suwa's total annihilation, and then encountering their traps set up in that area and having to deal with them, we had been temporarily distracted from Suwa's Unit.

I quickly took cover behind a wall as I fired more shots at Suwa, but Suwa returned fire and got some damage on me. He then went with an all out assault, but I raised my shield in time as my shots came down from above, yet he also deployed another shield and blocked them brilliantly.

I decided to then power attack by combinging two Asteroid and firing through the cover itself at him, but he had good reflexes and was able to dodge most of them. However, I managed to get one of his arms which would help make him desperate. But I had to focus on shields again as he returned fire, shooting at me with some powerful rounds that almost penetrated my barrier.

Suwa loaded in some more ammo, and then fired at me. I launched my own attack in that time before putting my shield back up to block his fire, however the shots bypassed the shields and hit me, with weights appearing all over my body, while he was quickly able to get a shield up and block part of my attack as he dodged the rest.

"Lead bullet?!"

"Originally I wanted to use it on Chibi-kun, a surprise to slow him down, but I am guessing I wont be seeing him now".

Out of all the squads present, Suwa Squad had the disadvantage from the start. Since none of their members often used Bagworm, and Suwa could actually react to sniper fire using shields, it usually was not needed. But, the fact they were taken out quickly did not mean they had no skill. The map was not very good for them, and it was great for the tactics that we were implementing. But Suwa had been planning, and they had made preparations to deal with them and Temba Squad.

Temba Squad had also made use of the terrain. Even though the map was not well suited for traps, Temba Squad decided to force them into their trap areas and make it better for them by using their mines, which were normally traps, to bombard the sniper position that Daisuke took. Daisuke had survived, but he had actually been careful when taking his position about any previously set up traps in the area. But when he started focusing on Suwa, Temba unit decided to try and bomb him out secretly without giving away their present location.

The reason Yachi got spotted was because of Tora's high mobility. He was searching at an extremely fast speed, using his Triggers. But that was not all, Tora had managed to reach Roku despite his trap perimeter. That was due to Tora's final choice in Triggers, Scanner Vision.

Using Scanner Vision, he could detect some of the traps before setting them off. Of course, constant use of Scanner vision would be a drain on Trion, especially if he used another Trigger in the same hand. But Tora possessed three Trion Glands, making him have a high quantity of Trion to use and he also pumped Trion out like crazy. His Trion would always restore faster then others.

Of course, Scanner Vision was not full proof. Because of the nature of Switchbox, mainly that the box itself is the Trigger and not the marks placed, it seemed any trap placed by it would be concealed. Scanner Vision could detect it, but only if he got close enough and this meant keeping Scanner Vision up the whole time. Not many people had the Trion to do that. I think that Tora was part of a small handful who could use it for this duration.

So just like we had made plans to deal with Suwa and Temba, Suwa made plans to deal with us. It appears that Suwa recognized Tora's focus on mobility, and planned to use Lead Bullet to take that away. Likely he planned to use high velocity rapid fire attacks from that machine gun he had now instead of a shotgun.

And with all these weights, it would make things really difficult now since I would not be able to move as quickly and cover Tora. However...

Right as Suwa was about to charge me to out maneuver my shields, thinking my attack had ended, several normal Viper shots came from behind and pierced his core. Like I had mentioned before, we did our research too and I heard about Suwa being great with Shield. But he could not block what he could not see.

"Trion Core Damaged. Bail Out!"

And now, Suwa was forced to bail out and leave the match, which finished off Suwa Squad.

"Sorry Tora-chan, but I got hit with lead bullet. I will try to support you as best as I can, but Temba is still using Bagworm. It seems they are dead set on not being revealed on radar".

"Its fine. Suwa Squad gave you quite some trouble, right?"

It was true, I expended more Trion then I thought. Suwa made good use of the buildings to take cover from my attacks, so I ended up taking longer with them then I thought. And Temba's interruption certainly did not help with that, not to mention that distracting bomb explosion.

It was all up to Tora and Daisuke now really, but I would give them all the support I could even in this state.

"Guys, get clear. I am shaking things up".

(Tora POV)

"Wait, what do you mean..."

Suddenly, I saw it. Arcing over my head, a massive attack that had to be most of her remaining Trion. Even if she had high Trion, with this kind of attack...well...

"Oh dear..."

(Cylian POV)

"Damn it! Get clear now!"

Cylian and Roku ran as fast as they could as explosive shots came down and bombarded the entire region of the map. It was not quite something like a powerful Trion cannon, but it was certainly a bombardment all the same. The two were just barely able to escape it, but it was clear what she was trying to do. Given that bailout just now, Cylian and Roku realized Suwa Squad got taken out before they could make use of him.

Now, with Suwa Squad gone, there was no reason not to destroy the buildings and turn this into a long range shoot out, with that sniper having advantage. She was aiming to destroy every single building that could hold their traps, and block Daisuke's sniper fire.

In the first place, Temba already knew they were probably going to lose. Daisuke had to be leaking Trion from their attack but since he did not bail out yet they had to assume he was combat capable. Suwa might have gotten damage on Sarah, but she could do long range bombardment without actually seeing her targets. Bagworm was saving Temba so far, but now that Suwa was gone she did not have to be so reserved and cautious.

And of course, Tora was out there searching for them. Given that a number of traps had not gone off during this, Cylian already suspected Tora had some huge Trion level and was using Scanner Vision. However...

"After so long, and with that, he probably cant keep using it forever".

Cylian was sure Tora probably couldn't keep it on forever, and it might already be deactivated.

Furthermore, the way Sarah was attacking might mean she had been dealt some blow by Suwa that was unexpected.

There was one way that it could work though. After all, Cylian and Roku had spent this entire time, a lot of Trion, setting up surprises around the map...

(Daisuke POV)

I was leaking Trion, but it was still good. My levels were still sufficient enough to support, and so I made my way to the next sniper position. I ran up the stairs to head there, staying inside the building so that Temba would not spot me so easily. All I had to do was...

"Click".

I heard the sound of a trap going off, and suddenly the dark stairway I was in lit up with the energy of mines activating. I had purposefully gone to a sniper position further away too...

And with a huge explosion, I got taken out.

(Tora POV)

I heard the explosion in the distance, and soon after...

"Sorry guys. I purposefully went to a sniper position further away, but it seems they were quite thorough. They had it so that once it was active, there was no way I could escape in time".

"It's fine Dai-niichan, because after all..."

(Cylian POV)

And then Cylian spotted it, approaching. Cylian and Roku both saw it. A boy that was smaller then them...with white hair and red eyes. They had been discovered.

"Tora-kun".

"We have been found".

And they both smiled.

(Tora POV)

Right when I stepped down onto the ground in front of them, suddenly a large amount of marks on the ground activated around me. In that moment, Sentry Turrets and Defense Turrets teleported right to them. At first I was confused, they had just moved so how did they use Switchbox?

But as I dodged the overwhelming fire that came towards me, I saw it. On Roku's back, there was a Switchbox. It looked like they improvised and had it equipped like a backpack, letting Cylian operate it even while mobile. I didn't bother with Bagworm anymore, and now had my Cyclones out. I used one Cyclone by throwing it and to lock onto one of the sentry guns, and sent it flying into the defense turret. Both got destroyed as a result, and I used Grasshopper to dart towards Cylian and Roku and close the distance.

Realizing the situation they were in, the two switched to Raygurst to fight me off. One immediately changed it into Shield form to block my dual Cyclone strike and...

 _Danger!_

I immediately jumped away as a mine was activated and detonated under me. The two seemed shocked by my reaction, but kept up the attack without delay. I was able to block Roku as he came in with blade form, while the other came to shield bash me and...

...and I just barely jumped over it as it turned into a blade to try and cut me in half. Roku then tried to strike me from behind from an opening I had left but...

"No Roku!"

As he did, a Scorpion Blade shot out of my back and stabbed through Roku's chest, destroying the critical area.

Roku was forcibly bailed out as his Trion Source was destroyed, leaving just me and Cylian.

Currently, the score was Tamakoma-2 with four points, Suwa with zero, and Temba with two. Technically speaking, it was entirely possible for Temba Squad to win. Cylian just had to defeat Tamakoma-2's final members. However, Cylian was running low on Trion, a lot of their prepwork was gone now, and he had to face an attacker who could use three blades one on one with just a Raygurst.

But from what I could tell Cylian was not one who gave up so easily either...I figured he might give it a shot.

He charged towards me, and in return I met him in combat.

(Cylian POV)

"...bail out!"

Cylian appeared on the bed and immediately grabbed his Trigger, but then it got wrestled out of his hand by their Operator. Normally, their operator was so focused on the screen she never looked away and noticed anything, but from what Cylian could see it looks like she caught on.

"So it's true! You idiots have been using your Triggers this whole time for clothing, haven't you!"

"Sorry!"

"You lazy idiots!"

Yes, one could attribute it maybe to boys being boys, or boys being stupid and lazy, but they always walked around in their Trion forms. There was a very simple reason why.

As boys, they hated having to deal with laundry. So, they used their Triggers as laundry.

"And don't think I have not interrogated the other two either!"

She pointed to the twins, who were sitting on the couch lowering their heads.

"But before I finished, I wanted to know where all the money you have been making in Border has been going! All I got so far out of them was that instead of using the money for clothes and laundry supplies, except for some stuff when you cant or don't want to use Trion forms, you have been using it for something else! Just what?!"

Cylian was extremely embarrassed by the situation. While the other teams were likely going over the After Battle Report, they were getting scolded in this embarrassing way. But they had a great reason.

"Our orphanage...we have been giving them the money".

She was a bit taken aback by their reason. Their operator was used to them acting silly, unreasonable, and irresponsible, so when she heard the young boy give an answer that seemed more adult and responsible she was shocked a bit.

The twins spoke up next.

"The games and stuff was for us, true. Cylian did not want us to be deprived of this fun stuff now that we had money, and we wanted the same for Cylian. So, we would use money for stuff like that. But we also give quite a bit to the Orphanage".

"I mean, the reason we are so comfortable with each other is because we shared one bed between the three of us, the water was so valuable we would use the same bath, and the bath water was re-used sometimes for others".

As she heard them, she found herself crying a little...but also realized their logic was still a bit childish given what they had cut out.

"Okay, activate your Triggers you idiots. Tomorrow, put on something you do have and we are going clothing shopping and laundry supplies shopping".

They quickly activated their Triggers again, and then looked back at her.

"Wait, laun..."

"There is no way in hell I am letting you get out of important chores and letting this repeat! Laundry, every other day! Mandatory!"

Of course, it was not total kindness that their operator gave them. But that was the style of Kasumi Yamato, an official older sister and an unofficial mother to Temba Squad, the squad that somehow always found a way to get into trouble.

(Announcer POV)

"So, what an exciting conclusion to this B-Rank Wars Match! Tamakoma-2 has an outstanding victory with a score of seven, with Temba having scored two points and Suwa zero! That Dual Cyclone combined with the Scorpion also seems quite powerful, and Sarah's ability to combine Viper and Meteora and was able to target areas on the map without even looking is fantastic!"

"Indeed. I have to say that was really scary. I don't mean to offend Suwa, but they never stood a chance. Although, he did get a good hit on Sarah, ultimately he never inflicted serious damage and only hit using Lead Bullet. It was a good strategy though, but Sarah had already planned to eliminate him. I think the other teams should be grateful for Suwa to reveal Sarah's full power right there".

"Indeed, the shrimp has a point..."

"Shrimp, Konami-sempai?"

"...but the stars of this show were Tamakoma-2 and Temba. Obviously our branch would naturally perform this well, but what was truly great was how Sarah flushed them out despite them using Bagworm, which allowed Tora-chan to find them without dealing with their traps. That, and Tora's ability to handle three blades at once. Not many people can do that, but he was capable of it with quite a bit of skill given how new he is to Border's Triggers".

"He also seems to have picked up Grasshopper really well!"

"Midorikawa...that aura you are releasing...do you want to have a match with Agent Rokuda?"

"I should go and greet him!"

Midorikawa almost bolted out of his seat, but Konami grabbed his collar and stopped him.

"No, finish the commentary first. We still have not talked about Temba Squad".

"Right, right. Sorry".

"Yeah...anyways you two, what did you like about Temba Squad this time?"

"I think Temba Squad did a great job at adapting to Tamakoma's tactics, and how they adapted their own tactics to suit the battle".

"Indeed. Temba Squad is actually made of three young boys, around Agent Rokuda's age, and are actually orphans that were raised together. After learning they had high Trion levels while out recruiting, they were sponsored to join Border as a team. They didn't take too long to reach B-Rank, but recently went down some ranks".

"That was because they ended up fighting Nasu Squad, who have a style that really does not work for them. Also, I think they lost again Ko once...that could not really be helped though, and I think they actually learned from it".

"Indeed. In fact, they managed to take out Tamakoma's Sniper, and anticipated almost every move. Their only issue was the factor they could not control, who won the battle between Agent Suwa and Agent Williams. Although I hear he and his entire team might be serious oddballs and eccentrics, and their operator is more like a mother to them then an operator, Agent Temba's team displayed fantastic strategic ability. I think that if they just improved their ability to fight directly as well, they would easily make A-Rank".

(Temba POV)

"Yeah...I didn't even last a minute against Tora-kun. Our traps are good and all, but its getting harder and harder not to be anticipated. I think we may need to focus more on our fighting ability".

"Yeah! It will be a trap in itself! They will expect us to be weak fighters, but then bam! We hit them where it hurts!"

"We have Raygurst and Meteora. Maybe we should work on a fighting style that involves what we already have, so that we don't have to learn something entirely new and screw up our loadouts?"

"...at least you three have some ability to use those brains of yours...morons".

All three of them pouted at their operators.

"We get it we get it! Using a Trigger for clothing was a stupid idea! You don't have to keep calling us morons! So mean!"

"It was so stupid I should just call you three the Moronic Trio! After all, wasn't that Tora kid able to defeat all three of you?!"

As she shouted that, Cylian then recalled something and quickly went over to the monitors. He brought up that last part of the battle, when Tora dodged the mine they had placed far ahead of time.

"So...it was as I thought. Somehow, he knew the mine was there even though we had only just activated it".

(Suwa POV)

"Sorry guys, we really ended up not being able to do much".

"Its not your fault. There was no way that you could have changed that. That Shooter was just not someone we were good at fighting against..."

"And that sniper...no way we could have dodged that. Actually, we sorta did. If you had not realized what was going on and reacted so quickly, we would have lost two people to Tamakoma for sure".

"Right...well, I think it might be time we start training in Bagworm!"

"No denying that here. At least when Sarah or someone like her is our enemy. Anyone on radar is just a target for her".

And so Suwa began to make plans of their own.

(Tora POV)

"Woo hoo! We did it!"

"Yeah, we did...so stop throwing me up and down and put me on the ground!"

The moment we got back, Sarah picked me up and started throwing me up and down in the air.

"What? But kids your age love this!"

"There is no way I will believe that! Besides, I am twelve not six!"

"Oh...right, sorry! I forgot!"

I blushed and got embarrassed as Sarah stopped throwing me up and down...but she was still carrying me, holding my back to her chest as her arms were wrapped around my body. I felt really embarrassed, especially since I usually saw babies carried this way.

Sarah then walked over to Daisuke and Rindo as they went over the battle review while she was still carrying me.

"You okay Daisuke?"

"Yeah...it was a bit surprising that Temba Squad anticipated that much. It seems like they might have the intelligence of A-Rank, given how far they thought ahead and how they adapted".

I recalled my own fight with them, and looked to the ground.

"Yeah but...we might have another issue. We have been keeping it a secret for now, but...I think Temba Squad, and who knows what else, might have noticed that I sensed danger from the mine. They might be able to figure out I have a side effect".

I could not sense a dormant mine, but once they activated one, or one was about to activate, I could sense the danger and escape. In fact, had the trap they set for Daisuke been used on me, I might have not been able to dodge in time even with my side effect and agility. The mine field only activated once he was at the center, and I would only sense them right before they became active.

"I think at the very least, we will need to be more careful in the future".

I mentioned that thought, as the B-Rank Wars came to a...

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

"Tora! You in here! I was wondering if you were up for a fun match!"

"Ah...coming Shun! Sure!"

Okay, I had more to do still, but this B-Rank Wars match came to an end.

(Poor Temba Squad...they get humiliated, but that reasoning is just so sweet I had to go with it. Well, who knows. Maybe we will see more of them in the future...and that reminds me of a certain someone else who may make another appearance soon...anyways, what do you guys think of Temba Squad, particularly about their backstory, how they fought, and how they acted? I gotta know!)


	16. Yumi Subaru

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 14: Yumi Subaru

As Yumi listened to the end of the report, she could not help but smile.

"Sounds like Dai-kun is doing well, Yumi-chan".

"Indeed. Guess its like you said, that kid is good after all"

Amalee and Aron Granger said that as they walked up next to her. All three of them were in their team uniforms, a purple windbreaker over a white T shirt, with purple pants. Their boots were green, and so was the hoods of their windbreakers. And on their shoulder was their team emblem.

"Hey guys! Sorry, I got sidetracked listening to the fight just now!"

And then their final member, Reiji Haruka, entered wearing the same thing.

This was their B-Rank team, Subaru Squad. Their leader was Yumi Subaru, who was the attacker. Then there was their Shooter, Amalee Granger who had a huge amount of Trion along with her twin brother Aron Grander, who was their sniper. And then there was their last sniper, the one who just entered, Reiji Haruka.

And as a B-Rank Wars match ended, now it was time for their match. But, their match was not a B-Rank Wars match.

After their last Rank Battle, they had gotten up to the second top spot. This meant they could challenge an A-Rank Team, and if they won reach A-Rank. They had quite a few options, but ultimately they decided to go with Miwa Squad. As for the reason why, it was because the Squad was similar to themselves in a way. An attacker, a shooter, and two snipers.

In other words, she thought it would be the best way to test if they were suitable for A-Rank. After all, Yumi wanted to truly make sure they were ready for it.

As the challenger, they could determine what map and conditions that would be set and prepared their equipment accordingly. They already knew what they were up against, and what they had to be ready for.

"You guys ready?"

"Yeah. Let's kick some ass".

"We will show them that we are A-Rank material for sure!"

"Locked and loaded".

"Good luck!"

Suddenly, a new voice called out in their room, and it was not their operator. They turned around, and saw two familiar faces. Yuki and Suzu, of Tsukiko Squad.

"We heard you were going for A-Rank and decided to come wish you luck, Yumi-chan!"

Suzu said that as she walked up to her, but Yumi had the feeling there was something more to this.

"Also, I heard this rumor from Jin-san…is it true that you are friends with that sniper boy from Tamakoma-2? The one with the cute Neighbor boy with the white hair and red eyes?!"

"Cute? Errr…well, yes, I know all of them fairly well now actually…"

"And is it true that the cute boy can sing really well actually, and even dance well to it?!"

And now, Yumi understood what had caught Suzu's attention. She must have heard about Karaoke Night from Jin.

Ever since that time, the group of them with others sometimes went and did a Karaoke night, since Tora had a strong positive feeling attached to it from what happened the day they first met. Well, some new people occasionally joined, and sometimes someone could not make it because of Defense Duty or what not. Last time, they had Tora, Daisuke, Sarah, Midorikawa, Jin, and Yumi. They had to be careful not to bring too many people, or else they would have to split up the group.

For example, once it was Konami, Tora, Rindo, Sarah, and Yumi because Daisuke had Defense Duty and Midorikawa had a ranked match. As for Jin, he apparently had to discuss some matter with the leadership of Border and could not make it.

So Rindo and Konami, who were free ended up joining. And then Tora and Konami ended up singing Dive by Man with a Mission. Since that was the band that made the song Tora had first sung and had that special moment with, it ended up becoming his favorite and he was starting to memorize all the songs word for word.

"Yuki! Its official! We should take Tamakoma-2 out for karaoke as well!"

"Well, it kind of matters if they wan…"

"it. Is. Happening. Or I will ship you with Ninomiya so strongly the entire world will believe it's true without a doubt".

"…yes".

As Yumi watched Yuki surrender to Suzu's threats, she could not help but produce a wry smile.

"Suzu".

"Yes?"

And then suddenly, that smile produced a terrifying aura that even Suzu could not help but shrink back a bit from. Everyone, including her own squad, was a bit surprised, because Yumi did not have that kind of character usually.

"Play nice with Tora-chan and the others. They are new and not quite ready to handle your full blown…energy, okay?"

"Y...yes, of course Yumi-chan! I wont do anything serious problematic! I promise!"

"Good".

"Wow, our captain can really get scary when she wants to".

"That is how she made it to get this far after all..."

Yuki and Suzu left their squad room with that, as Subaru Squad finished their preparations. If they beat Miwa Squad, they would be A-Rank. Now it was the time to shine, it was their time to get serious.

And that was why the conditions were set to Cityscape D, and as for the conditions...

"Still though, you sure you want to go with that setting? It is extremely unpopular, it usually messes up plans".

"That is why we are going with it. It will keep Miwa Squad on their toes. Furthermore, unlike B-Rank Wars for a Rank Up Exam, the A-Rank team does not know the settings involved. If everyone is quick enough, we might be able to score some hits early on".

Unlike B-Rank Wars, A-Rank was different. You had to completely defeat the other team, knock them all out of the match. Of course, since doing that might seem a bit difficult since A-Rankers tended to personalize a lot of their gear, such as Miwa's increased Lead Bullet and Yosuke's spear, that might seem a bit unfair. Therefore, the B-Rank team got to choose the map, the conditions, and the A-Rank team would not find out till they were inside the map.

And well, Yumi Subaru had done quite a bit of condition setting.

"Yumi, this certainly is quite evil. It is amazing how you get everyone to believe you are a perfect angel".

"What? I think this is only fair, given who we are up against. Alright people, lets get this party started!"

And so, Subaru Squad went and got into position.

(Miwa POV)

The moment the transfer was done, Miwa Squad found themselves in a snow covered city. Since this was fundamentally different from a Rank Battle, the teams would always start together.

"This field is...Cityscape D is it?"

"It seems like they chose snow. Whatever, I don't know what they are planning but lets make sure they don't get the upper hand. You two, get to a higher position and keep watch for their snipers. Yoneya, with me. If they don't want to move around a lot, then lets go right to them".

"Fine with me".

Miwa and Yosuke rushed forward with the clear intention of getting to Subaru Squad and dealing with them quickly. They started to make good time And yet...

"Alert! Alert!"

That message suddenly played over the speakers.

"Multiple Gates Opening! Repeat, Multiple Gates Opening! All residents nearby please get to your safety shelters immediately!"

This forced Miwa and Yosuke to stop as indeed, multiple simulated gates appeared in front of them. In other words, not only did Yumi choose snow, but she chose a rather unpopular setting, Invasion. What it did was quite simple, it caused large amounts of Neighbors to spawn on the map.

And yet, seeing these gates reminded Miwa of the damn first Invasion when viewed like this and...

"Miwa, look out!"

Suddenly, a sniper shot roared out and nearly hit Miwa, but Yosuke tackled him out of the way. Unfortunately...

"Trion Supply Damaged. Bail Out".

Yosuke's supply got hit, and he had to bail out even though it was the start of the match. That was the attacker for Miwa Squad right there, and that meant they only had Shohei, Narasaka, and Miwa himself left.

Miwa quickly took cover, to prevent any more attacks as Neighbors began to spawn left and right. However...

"Miwa, did Yosuke just have to bail out right there?"

"Yeah...the gates provided a half second opening, and I got hit. Miwa, take them down for me!"

"Well, that is not the only issue!"

Looking back to his snipers, Miwa saw that they were currently under attack from multiple Marmods.

This was already looking bad for them, and it seemed like Subaru Squad wanted a quick match. But, Miwa was really pissed at them right now and wanted to get them for this. Of course, they also had to be having troubles with this map. If he could catch them at a bad time as well, that would be ideal.

Normally, anyone could prepare as the teams would know the set options ahead of time. But because this was to rank up to A, and not a Rank Wars, they had no choice but enter the fight blind.

And Subaru getting a sniper into position that quickly was also proof of the fact they deserved A-Rank status. But Miwa had no intention to give it to them.

Plus, he drew Kogetsu just in time to block an attack from a Scorpion that came at him from a high speed attack using Grasshopper.

The wielder, Yumi Subaru, was already there. But Miwa did not just have Kogetsu out, but also his pistol and he fired multiple shots at Yumi. Yumi did not dodge normally though, but instead used Grasshopper to get out of the way quickly. Miwa backed up a little, but found himself stepping onto a Grasshopper sending him flying towards his own returning Viper shots. So he shot them down with his own attacks to quickly block, but one hit him in the leg and produced a weight.

This was already more then just a battle of strength, but also a battle of wit.

Miwa swung Kogetsu where should would be next based on her movement, but Yumi used grasshopper and dodged the blow. She then combined two scorpions together to attack Miwa at range, but Miwa used shield to block it and then dismissed it quickly to swing Kogetsu at her, while using Viper Lead Bullet to block off her escape trajectories.

At that point, Miwa dodged backward when he noticed a small shine of light which was followed by a sniper shot where his head used to be. At the same time, several shots of Shooter cubes went flying overhead and straight towards Miwa Squad's Snipers. This had to be an attack from Subaru Squad's Shooter, Amalee Granger. But, that would mean they had a single sniper that was defending all three of them?

(Reiji Haruka)

"I really need to thank Satori-sempai again for reaching me the Twin Snipe technique and Acrobatic Twin Snipe technique".

Reiji said this outloud as he hopped around while wielding two Egrets, taking out simulated Trion Soldiers two at a time with pinpoint accuracy. He was able to learn this skill from Ken Satori on the grounds that "he uses it so his team can give Miwa Squad a good humbling".

Since Miwa Squad tended to go after humanoid Neighbors a lot, they were said to be better at Anti-personal fighting instead of fighting Trion Warriors. Satori apparently was never much one to like this idea about them, and he also just thought it would be fun to have a student who could admire his teachings and learn the technique, who would then be able to tell people he learned it from Satori.

It was those reasons that Satori taught Reiji the Twin Snipe and Acrobatic Twin Snipe technique.

And it was that technique now that let him fight all these Trion Soldiers and defend both his team mates on his own. Where normal snipers might try and keep their distance, Reiji was able to use both snipers while in mid and even close range combat. It could be considered scary, as he was taking out Trion Soldiers one after the other with deadly accuracy.

In fact, sometimes he just used sound and his memory of when he looked in that direction last to shoot a target, letting him shoot in two different directions at the same time.

As such, while their Shooter was using some Double meteora combo to launch explosive projectiles at the spot where other Trion Soldiers were gathering. In other words, the "Invasion" condition setting was one where the teams would have to do battle not just with each other, but properly coordinate with themselves so they don't get wiped out by Trion Soldiers. There was also another setting that involved Trion Soldiers, but this was the one Yumi wanted.

And to be clear, it was Aron who scored the point against Yosuke. He was busy making preparations to fight all these things. And that would be the Sentry Turret right next to him, covering him just in case. With this setup, it was quite difficult for any Trion Soldiers to get to his two team mates. If things got tough, then Aron would just keep on the offensive while Amalee joined him to clear things up with Meteora, and then return.

This was the power of their team. Although Sarah had the ability to bombard things without seeing them due to her memorization ability and her skill with Viper, Amalee had much more Trion then her and could create huge Meteora explosions.

(Sarah POV)

Miwa was starting to get on edge as sniper shots now occasionally came at him, from Sarah's teammate Aron. Sarah knew that if they fought Miwa Squad long term, or even gave them a chance to set up, they would be in major trouble. Miwa's Squad was one that once they started, they could pretty much mop up everything and everyone. And that included them.

Therefore, they wanted to get rid of Miwa at the start. Unfortunately Yosuke noticed, but as a consolation prize Yosuke got taken out instead which was still good. However, Sarah was having trouble with Miwa. He was light on his feet, yet fully capable of launching attacks that had power in them. It was as if she was fighting some sort of super robot. Heartless, powerful, and fast.

But she had no intention of giving up.

Suddenly, two beam of Trion energy shot up overhead. Miwa Squad's snipers. Unfortunately for them, this map also involved fighting a rather large number of Trion Soldiers. They came into this map expecting to fight one team, but instead they found themselves fighting an entire army as well. Of course, the condition was unfavorable for everyone, but that was what made it balanced. And also, this condition could be said to be a great lesson. Always be prepared, at any time, for a Neighbor attack.

As Miwa let loose more Viper attacks, she recognized it as Birdcage and escaped by using Grasshopper to escape upward. But Miwa seemed to expect that and also fired a few rounds up at her from his handgun. Yumi used grasshopper again as she expected they were lead bullet while Miwa dodged another sniper shot from Aron. But right where he stepped on was a Grasshopper, and he went flying into the air. He blocked the Sniper shots, and then spun around to avoid a Mantis strike.

"Gotcha!"

But then shot of asteroid came right at him. It was fired from the Shooter of Subaru Squad, Amalee Granger, who had ended up coming to support the other two. The fact that she had the Trion to fire at both him and defend herself from Trion Soldiers proved her worth as a Shooter, and her Trion levels.

And with that, in one of the shorter A-Rank Up matches, Subaru Squad secured victory.

To point out the highlights and the reasons why, they were able to successfully deal with the overflow of Trion Soldiers even at close range using just one of their Snipers.

They were able to take out Yosuke at the start also using one of their snipers.

They faced Miwa, who is someone who might be able to take on a Black Trigger user, with three people at the end there and overwhelmed his ability.

They had the invasion start on a delayed countdown, while employing snow. This would isolate the snipers and make Miwa/Yosuke not even consider going back because it would just leave them open to more attacks.

And of course, Subaru Squad just has that ability to make it to A-Rank. That should never be left out.

Now they were A-Rank for real...

(Tora POV)

I...I had no idea someone could be that scary until today.

After coming out of my match with Midorikawa, we were pounced upon by some maniac (Suzu), and dragged off to do Karaoke. I mean, I liked Karaoke, but this seemed a bit excessive and...

"Oh, oh, you should totally do it wearing this outfit!"

"That is a maid outfit! With a skirt! For girls!"

"It will look great on you!"

And so I would not hear about Yumi's promotion for some time as I dealt with someone who not only loved music, but apparently embarrassing people as well. But if she tried to force me into a bath, I might just use Meteora to make an escape hole.

I would also need to apologize to Shun later since he ended up getting sucked up in all this along with me.

"Yes! Maid outfit would be perfect...or maybe...an Animal onsie!"

Me and Shun took and united stand.

"No!"

(Well, TheAnimeTrain, hope you liked Suzu and Yuki...I mean, they didn't get to do much yet, but maybe in the next chapter when we get more into this...plus, THAT arc is coming soon... :) )


	17. The Calm Before the Storm (Invasion Arc)

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 15: Calm Before The Storm

AN: TATs, its true...Suzu really is hard to control... . ...well, so long as she never exceeds the T rating its fine right? Characters can get naked for sure, but...nothing past that. Nothing. None of that M-Rated Garbage, no descriptions. Maybe inferences, hints, but only when its funny! But...the emotions are fantastic to absorb when they get embarrassed or riled up...epic battles, character humiliations, dramatic moments. Aren't they so great? So full of tasty emotions! And speaking of epic battles...we have had quite a bit lately...but maybe, something even bigger is on the horizon? :)

Might be the last time I can embarrass him for quite awhile...given what is coming for the next few chapters...also, damnit Sarah! Just wait readers, get to the end of the chapter and everything just concludes amazingly! Sarah MVP!

Also, disclaimer: I just love to make some of my characters squirm, I don't actually support anything real other then fluff and maybe suggestions, maybe, if vague to the point its fluff anyways for Tora. If you for some reason want to use Tora specifically for something real like that, no. Just no. Maybe, maybe, it will take a single toe out of fluff, but only for actual story related reasons, his utter embarrassment, or comedic reasons, so still considered fluff I think...but yeah, I have a line I wont cross. So for those who get worried, don't. As for why I typed this? Well...I am actually rather timid myself and got worried even knowing that there are far worse then me on the internet that are not as pure and timid as I can actually be... .

(Tora POV)

"Noooo!"

"Oh come on! You look adorable!"

"No no no!"

I had no idea until today just how truly terrifying people could be. Well, I did, and truthfully this is not the worst that I was treated. But, this was possibly the worst thing that happened to me in Mideen.

First we started off with simple Karaoke, but then suddenly Suzu had some really strange ideas...and she was very pushy and strong about them, and before we knew it, I had been forced into a maid outfit and she wanted me to sing in that. First of all, somehow she managed to get all my clothes off like Sarah and saw me like that...and I think she saw my scars because she cried for a moment, and then after seeing me naked she forced me into a maid outfit. And somehow, Shun too!

But after that, she just kept taking pictures and wanted more! It was horrible!

Well, while I had no idea yet from my perspective she had actually never crossed a line and planned to keep everything rated T, she just loved to watch my reactions to everything. Apparently the more I reacted, the more adorable it got. She was clearly an expert though, because she managed to do all this only directly touching my clothing and chest. She actually went out of her way to keep anything like that...

Here I was, a way shorter then average boy, wearing a maid outfit that somehow fit me perfectly. Skirt, headpiece, short sleeves, completely exposed legs. Even what was underneath...she took that and left nothing just to record my embarrassed expression as I held down the skirt! It was only my expression and not down there, but that did not make it any worse! And what was worse what that even Yuki, who she seemed to threaten to be her accomplice, could not hold back after seeing how cute I apparently looked.

I looked totally like a girl! Especially with my reddened face!

"Now, lets put you into this cat onsie! I think it will look adorable on you!"

"Suzu, don't forget what Yu..."

"YOu want to be shipped with Nino?"

"...forget I said anything. Sorry guys".

I saw another embarrassing piece of clothing in my size...it was the exact same Sarah first bought for me too! Sarah bought it for me saying it would be adorable, and that it was an important part of restoring my childhood so I could grow as a person. She pretty much forced me into it spouting a ton of reasons why it would help scientifically so I wouldn't refuse. Of course, I had no plans to bring that up with them that it was a thing...but, Suzu was scary like Sarah could be. Sometimes I felt like I was being toyed with, and couldn't do anything to stop them.

I had no idea why either, given my strength, but for some reason like this I lacked the willpower to.

It was reaching the point where I was starting to cry when...

"Suzu!"

Three people came to the rescue! Those people being Daisuke, Sarah, and...someone I did not recognize?

She saw me, Midorikawa, and then glared at Suzu.

"M...Mei?!"

"Really? THis on the first day? At least wait a few times before pulling this garbage! Seriously, you keep getting worse and worse!"

"What, it is not like I was planning to use them for any M-Rated stuff! They are just so cute, I couldn't help myself! Purely T-Rated, I swear!"

Suddenly, Mei went over and...well, lets just say it got physical in a different way then Suzu's mind went. It looked quite painful, but neither me nor Midorikawa planned to stop her. Rather, we just wanted to get changed and leave.

I looked over to Daisuke and Sarah, who were putting cameras away...hey!

"Dai-niichan...Sarah-niichan...".

"..."

"You two..."

"So cute..."

"Going in the album..."

I went red with embarrassment.

"Can I just go and change out of this now!"

"Well, yes...but Tora...err, this might be bad timing...I mean, if this was a manga it would throw the theme in the complete opposite direction of where the normal story would go but...we have another reason for coming to get you..."

Suddenly, the two moved in and grabbed me both by the arms, lifting me up off my feet.

"You have been dodging your medical exam for three weeks...no, its been a full month now right? We have been ordered to take you there...so you can come willingly, or we can carry you there in this outfit. And no trying to run after you changed, okay? Or else instead of one night with just that..."

Suddenly, Sarah whispered into my ear something that made me go even more red.

"Ho...hold on! I am only eleven! That is surely illegal right?!"

"Only if it happens on screen~"

"Stop acting like we are in some show and you are breaking the forth wall!"

"Oh, so Mimik taught you that then. Good. So? The end result will be the same, so its your choice".

"...okay, I will go willingly. But Sarah, only if you destroy the pictures she had being taken of me before, during, and after she changed me into the maid costume!"

Sarah then looked at Suzu, who was on her chest with Mei on her back, holding Suzu's arm which she twisted behind her back.

"Wait, you took pictures during?"

"I might not have but...you should have seen the blushed face he was making! Ah, there was nothing that was illegal or M-Rated, every single one was of his face, maybe a bit of his upper body. I think. Well, he is still a small child and it was all innocent so its fine if I just keep them myself! Still, you should have seen how adorable he looked!"

Sarah immediately picked me back up and then...

"Kya?! Sarah!"

"Tora-chan is mine! Now Tora, lets quickly get your medical done and then get you to my home! We have lots to do!"

"Wa...wait what?!"

"Hold on! Did you say medi..."

"Stop talking Suzu! You are still in trouble!"

And then suddenly, I was carried off.

"Wait, you said you would let me get changed first!"

Luckily for me she was still able to listen.

* * *

(Kranz POV)

"And so...that is what has been going on these last few cycles?"

Right now, Kranz was kneeling down in his vessel with his body pointed towards a monitor. His human subordinates, and the Champion, were behind him also kneeling. They were currently reporting what had transpired regarding this incident to the leader of their country..

Of course, he reported this constantly and with all facts so there was no way his father, the leader, was already informed. However, the look on his face...it did not look pleased, but it did not look particularly angry either.

Kranz had gone through great lengths to perfect each vessel as well as the process. In truth, they were close to a breakthrough that would let them increase the speed of the production and preparation of candidates for Champions. Most of the years had been used to learn what would work well, and what was adaptable, and what would not work. They could not just pump them out endlessly of course, but...they would not take years.

However, the boy...Tora? He was a threat to them all. Him, and the ATS. After all, they had data that could perhaps point out weaknesses, strengths, details about how they were made. The two needed to be captured. Tora was one step away, one final procedure from being turned into a Champion. All they had to do was put him through that treatment, and that was it.

Kranz had been careful and methodical, to the point where he even managed to get a source inside Border. He learned a lot of things, including about an S-Rank named Jin who could somehow see the future. So they had randomized everything just to make sure that nothing would be able to be predicted. Perfect equal chances for all decisions, and there were always numerous decisions to prevent every possibility from being checked. It was his way of getting around this "Foresight". And surely enough, he was still operating without being interfered with.

"I see. It seems you have not gotten what we need, but you were not a complete idiot about this. Very well, there is only one decision to make then. Aftokrator seems to be planning something, but thanks to the threat of our new Champion seems to be avoiding us, and Mideen since we are in range of it. So then, there is only one choice. I will send an invasion force. I want you to crush this Border, and reclaim not just our prize, but any other...suitable...test subjects you can get. I believe you still have one or two from Mideen too right?"

"Yes. The boy was a find in one of our subordinate country or a raid I believe, but during the time that one country invaded Mideen we also sent some agents and made sure to discreetly abduct others, leaving fake bodies in their place in case they tried to track the missing. Though it seemed like the attack might have had multiple sources, we were only concerned with the subjects".

"Very well. And what of the production of Champions we are still producing?"

"Right now...the second one has just finished completion. With two of them, Border will surely fall".

"Do everything in your power to see to the subject and the drone. Border falling is only a bonus".

"Border protects him sir".

"I see...I suppose you are right. But he also fights for them, which means this invasion will help lure him out. It still serves our needs".

"Then..."

"Yes. The invasion will begin. Continue your Anti-Prediction system, make sure they will be unable to pinpoint it".

"Understood, Commander!"

The screen turned off, and then he looked towards the others. A face half of desperation, and have of confidence was on his face. Even if that man was his father, Kranz knew that if they kept failing it would not end well for him.

"Prepare everything. I do not know when we attack, but the earliest time would be tomorrow so prepare everything for then!"

"Understood, Sir!"

Kranz tapped a Trion Interface device and brought up information on Tora.

"Soon, you will be mine once more! Besides, I made sure to make you waver...yes, with the massive invasion we are planning, Border will not be able to stop all of our forces. It will end with their base in fire...and you in despair".

* * *

(Jin POV)

 _Soon..._

Jin knew from his side effect. It was unfortunate he could not give an exact guess, but it was soon. Somehow they seemed aware of what happened inside Border, but Jin had yet to find out how or why. Whoever or whatever their information source was, it would never activate or do anything other then feed them intel it seemed. As such, while they learned their actions, Jin had yet to find a future where anything he did caused that fact where they knew to change.

But he knew the invasion would come soon. There were equal odds for all outcomes, a truly random number generator was in use. They were being alert, cautious, and even a bit...annoying.

"If you think that this will be enough for you to get my precious kouhai though..."

Jin rubbed his finger across Fujin.

"...think again".

* * *

(Tora POV)

I was thankful Sarah had left for this next part, since it would be super embarrassing. After all, this was not the first time I had a medical exam. Of course, that was in Colsaria, and I was treated really inhumanely...but, from what I heard while better then there it would still be rather embarrassing. In fact, it already was. I don't know if this is supposed to be foreshadowing future suffering or something, or maybe some horrible fate for me, but I really hoped this would not be a continuous thing.

Well, I was right, but I wish I had known that at the time. And also...

"First time huh?"

"Definently first time".

"He is not nervous enough after all".

While Sarah and Daisuke were gone, there were three others. Although, in terms of age and height they might be the closest to me relatively. After all, they were Temba Squad.

The four of us had to take off all out clothes down to our boxers, and go through quite a bit of tests. Then, we were brought to a males only side...and told to wait there. Not sure why we had to wait there and not get dressed. However...

"Then comes the crazy doctor I hear".

"She is new, but...she is really thorough".

"We should probably take them off now..."

"What do you four mean?"

I had been thoroughly avoiding taking a medical exam because of my fear of scientists and doctors. Well, and my past experiences so far. However...

"It can't be worse then what you went through right?"

Cylian, who was wearing only red boxers with blue stars, asked me that.

"Well, I suppose that is true. At the facility, my clothes would get pulled off, and I would be shackled to a table face and belly down as various machines scanned and felt me all over. I was naked for maybe the whole time".

"Oh. Well for this, you get to wear your boxers till this point".

"Wait what?"

I looked over...and...I was extremely puzzled how they took them off without me noticing. Surely enough, they were holding them now in their hands, except for Cylian that had two...wait a second...

"Ehhh?!"

I blushed really red. I was not happy this happened to me twice in one day!

"Sorry! But that was too hilarious! Also, you probably didn't hear the last doctor since you were overwhelmed with embarrassment but he asked us to do this before we went in".

"B..but...why?!"

"Well for one thing they want to make absolutely sure there are no side effects with using Triggers, so they want the doctor to do a full body examination for a rash or other signs. Then they want to make sure that its not interfering with growth in any way. And then finally this also covers the school medical exams, which means we don't have to do any embarrassing medical exams at school".

Temba Squad explained things logically and clearly for me, although he still had a mischievous smile. Well, everyone here was also a boy so I guessed this was a normal thing in Mideen after remembering the public bathhouse Daisuke often took me to, and the hot springs Shun took me too, where all the boys were completely naked around each other. Granted, my experience of Mideen was limited to this "Japan", and specifically Mikodo City.

But still...I was pretty sure something was off about this...

"Why did you steal mine though?"

"Because it was a hilarious prank to try and pull off? Question is, how embarrassed are you right now that you did not notice? I mean, its not like you have to walk around the base naked...even if the doctor is kind of crazy".

"Crazy..."

I really did feel extremely squirrely now. Although somehow for some reason I was instantly able to feel more chatty and conversive with Cylian and his squad, the fact that I could feel the soft cloth cushion under me completely...okay, it was soft so I enjoyed it a little, but still. The other three were playing around even though they looked a bit embarrassed just like me. All of us sitting there, like that...

"How are you..."

"Well, we are pretty used to stuff like this. Actually it was worse at the orphanage. Boy and girl both had to line up, completely naked, at the nurses office. This was so that they could wash the limited clothes we had all at once, so...yeah. But still, I mean...its embarrassing, but also exciting right?"

"Is this butterfly feeling supposed to be a good thing?"

"Well...it means your alive! Trust me, given that at any point in time, if even a slightly dangerous disease had come around at the orphanage a lot of us would have died unable to get medicine, you should always appreciate that".

At first, although I felt like what was said was meaningful just now I did not entirely know what they meant...but then, the doors slammed open and in came the doctor...who was female...but the other three did not look shocked.

"Oh good, I get all the adorable boys in one day! Now, lets check everything out!"

"Here we go again..."

"I really don't like her..."

"Why us?"

"Huh?"

Suddenly the doctor took my hand and pulled me off the chair while smiling.

"Lets go make sure you are really healthy, okay?"

Why did I not have a good feeling about this?

...some time later...since I don't feel like typing out anything unneccesary for this...

"Temba...kun..."

I said while exhausted and pulling up my boxers and pants. My cheeks were totally red.

"What is wrong with that woman?"

"You can call me Cylian...and well...she...well among enjoying her work too much...you ever hear of someone named Suzu?"

When I heard that name, I immediately shot Cylian a look. He was just getting dressed as well, as were the twins.

"She is a supporter and reader of Suzu who wants to become a manga artist. Looks like you heard of her..."

And now I understood. People in Border are just crazy...

"Tora-chan! Time to go home!"

...at least Sarah is crazy but also nice to me...

Tonight I was staying at Sarah's house. Even though it usually ended with embarrassment for me, if not always, I always kept coming back willingly. I never quite understood why, because I was sure it embarrassed me and that I did not enjoy it. But I did, I always did. Because of everything that happened in this one day. B-Rank Match, Midorikawa fight, Suzu and Karaoke and the maid outfit, the medical exam of pure torture, even though my body was high spec I felt fatigued like crazy.

After getting home, Sarah dragged me over to the bathroom. I initially resisted when I realized what she had planned, but at that point it was too late. Well, it was something I should be used to...but it was always embarrassing for me! She never let me have a bath alone! And I always seemed to enjoy it!

"Sarah...don't you think..."

"No way, you are so small that if you slipped and hit your head you could seriously drown under the water!"

I felt like she might be a bit manipulative here, but really...was this bathtub supposed to support two people, or was she intentionally allowing for skin to skin contact. Although granted, for over four years I was denied even the simplest contact of a handshake, so in a way I liked this...maybe I was just around too many crazy people today?

Eventually after washing each other's backs, we got out. We already ate dinner at a sandwhich place that was about to close on the way back, since it was really late. Past this "bedtime" that everyone including Mimik insisted I should follow. Frankly I was so exhausted I could just pass out...

"You know, you could just..."

"N...no way!"

Sarah would always insist I was small and young enough to sleep in the nude and she wouldn't mind, but I still had some decency! Of course, I was actually standing naked in front of her right now, but I had my hands covering myself and my face was red. After all, I only just got out of the bath and dried off. But I was told that air drying was the best and most healthiest way to dry!

I was totally unaware she just wanted to see more embarrassed. It did not matter what it was. Whether it was this, the bath, she loved to see me embarrassed and be as close to me as possible.

I was totally unaware that this was actually all an elaborate part to make me feel better, or that I unconsciously wanted to feel this since I lacked any true feelings and relationships inside that lab. There, I only had dread, fear, suffering. This was suffering too, but it was not the suffering of being cut into and having foreign matter stuffed into your body. Hell, I was probably more like a doll then an actual person.

"Fine then, here put on this..."

She said that while rather dejected. I started to put it on when I noticed it was not my normal pyjamma pants. It was one of those onesies! Sarah tricked me again! Furthermore, it was cat themed!

I immediately went to take it off, but there was no zipper. Instead I felt it zipper up in the back! What the hell!

"S..Sarah?!"

"Oh no! I am not letting you escape this time! Tora-chan, you are always resisting to trying new things!"

"I try new foods all the time! And beds! And couches!"

"But remember what I keep talking about? How you have trust issues? I happen to know you are hurting again, and not telling people!"

I froze in place. I did recall she made a certain threat yesterday...

"So for the next twenty four hours, I will only let you be in that cat onesie or nothing at all!"

"S..Sarah!"

"I heard it form Temba Squad! You were not-cooperative with the doctor, and you still felt a bit of reluctance even when there were just boys your age there! Normally, one might strike up a conversation, talk about anime, make comparisons about stuff...but still! Even with Suzu and Yuki, before they tried anything you were not very chatty and communicative! And worse of all...you still wont share your fears with me! About that thing!"

As Sarah rolled out all the reasons she planned to punish me several times over, that last one stung. A lot.

It was true. Even though Sarah was like a big sister, or maybe even a mother, to me. I was holding in my true fears. The full force of my fear about the Champion, about what might happen. Suddenly she grabbed me, dragged me over to the bed, unzipped the back and exposed the upper half of my body. If I was older this might be seen as romantic, except she had no such intention. Instead, she poked one of my scars with her finger and held me down so I could not escape. I suppose I should be thankful she took the time to let me get dressed in this thing, and not just did this while I was fully naked. A good example of her intentions. Actually, now that I think about it...when did she get dressed in her PJs?

"See this? You are you, not it! You are still fleshy! And wiggly! You feel embarrassed right now right? Do you know why I feel the need to keep embarrassing you? Why I keep making you naked, or like this even? Why I call you these nicknames like Shota-kun or Shota-chan?!"

"Wait I don't remember either of...

"Because I can sense it, you need it! You need someone to make you feel! Because whenever you don't feel something strong like embarrassment, or adrenaline from combat, you despair thinking you are becoming one of those things! Someone needs to remind you that you have a body to be embarrassed of, and it is not a Champion body but a human one!"

And then it sunk into me. The part with Suzu. The medical exam. It finally, after so long, started to sink into me just a little. I did not fully realize it, or even halfway. But a small part of me realized I liked all of it because it was proof I had his own body still. Why I did not push Sarah away, why I didn't use his full strength against Suzu, why I did not get aggressive or violent but chatty when Temba Squad stole my underwear, why I loved sparring with Midorikawa even and getting hit and hurt (but not in a M way), why I enjoyed baths with people, it was because each feeling let him know that he still had his body. That I was not a Trion soldier. That I was human.

And while distracted with that, Sarah quickly pushed me back in into onesie and zipped it up.

"And also, I didn't want you to get hooked onto adrenaline. Because then, if all that mattered in your life was fighting, then...it might be a very short and unfulfilling life".

And so she dragged me into bed, putting the hood with cat ears on over my head as she held me close. However...

"Thank you...for caring Sarah".

"Your welcome, Tora-chan".

"Just one question...how do I go to the bathroom?"

"Oh, I will have to help you each and every time".

The moment I heard that...

"Trigger, o.."

She grabbed my hand that grabbed the trigger and forced me to let go.

"No, Tora-chan. Unless you want to just go naked the whole time finally?"

"Are you sure you are not just doing this for your own reasons?!"

"Not telling~"

"I can hold it!"

"With that small, young body...are you sure?~"

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!"

"Good thing I have you for the next few days~"

Sarah truly was the evil demon that you could never deny.

(Well, I had to get all the embarassment in before I start the mostly if not completely serious Invasion Arc! I hope you enjoyed! Remember, in reality...no going too far! Tora is still a minor! But...suggesting and poking fun...haha!)


	18. The Start of the Invasion

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 16: The Start of the Invasion

(Kranz POV)

The sunlight reflected off of it as he watched the coin fall into his hand one last time. A final check if you will, to see if it was time.

The coin subtly yet quickly fell back into his hand and revealed the decision.

"Alright then. Everyone, it's time!"

And so, the sounds of battle rang out as the Trion Soldiers prepared for war.

(Jin POV)

"Soon...its coming soon".

Jin saw the futures change, and immediately began to contact the base.

(Tora POV)

"Sarah! Please!"

"But you look soooo adorable!"

"Sarah!"

"Alright...fine fine".

Eventually after insistant pleading, and after I placated her by letting her feed by breakfast since this thing had horrible grips, she finally let me out of this infernal thing! Whoever though making PJs that had the zipper in the back instead of the front clearly did this just to torture and humiliate people! I was sure of it!

I immediately raced to get dressed, and Mimik was quick to join me as well. And after I went to the bathroom, Mimik joined me by the door as I started putting on my shoes.

"Wait, Tora? Are you going out on your own?!"

"Yeah! I need to do it eventually, right?"

"Wait wait! Uhg...And I have defense duty today too...fine, just...hold on!"

She raced off somewhere as I finished getting my shoes on. I do admit that yes, this is my first time going out into the world on my own, and yes maybe I was troubleprone and looked way younger then I was, but that was besides the point!

Suddenly, I felt something get wrapped around my neck from behind and before I could react heard a click.

Jumping up in shock, I turned around to see Sarah who was just smiling and...she looked like she was about to laugh. I immediately went over to the mirror in the entry way and...

"Is this a collar?! A slave collar?!"

"No no...well, maybe it was originally. I did have to lock it on you using a key after all so you didn't take it off. But look below, there is a label on it!"

I looked down in the mirror and did in fact see a label on it. It had my name on it, my blood type, an emergency contact number.

"Wh...why?! Why did you put this on me?!"

"So that way, in case you get lost you can have someone call me! Or are you saying you finally remembered my phone number?"

I blushed, massively. After Mimik had given me a smartphone I started to play around with it, but...I still had difficulty remembering phone numbers. Incidentally, no one had decided to tell me about the address book feature, Sarah so that she could tease me like this. But also because she was worried what would happen if I lost my phone.

But...

"I remember the emergency phone number!"

Actually I knew two emergency phone numbers, but the America 9-1-1 was not relevant in Mikodo City in Japan. I learned it after a movie night I had with Sarah, watching some old American classics. She was concerned I might not know English, but the reason the people of Mideen could interact with the Neighborhood was because all Triggers possessed a real time Neural Link with a translation device.

After all, it had to be that or else it would make no sense why all Neighbor nations speak Japanese and not something like English or whatever, right?

"Yes, that is why I feel comfortable letting you go out on your own in the first place, provided you wear that collar and keep Mimik with you at all times! Otherwise, I will have to treat you like a baby!"

"No no! And hey, you already treat me like a baby, making me wear that thing where I have to rely on you for everything!"

"No, that is just me teasing you and also taking care of you...and well, to try and help you. Because of your atypical situation, you need atypical help after all. The fact that these methods also let me have fun is besides the point!"

She left out the fact she wanted to make absolutely sure I could hold my bladder because I looked so young and small and because I was raised in a setting with no love that taught me no common sense at all. And to test other things.

Well, she did also do it to tease me and because she found me adorable especially when embarrassed. She seemed to especially love to embarrass me by making me naked, although I was aware of at least one of her ulterior motives beside embarrassment for that. She tried to get me naked on multiple occasions so that I would become more comfortable with my body. It was something I was starting to catch onto myself, that apparently it was a barrier that was making it difficult for me to develop mentally.

Well, although I was still holding out hope, at least I could still develop mentally. During the medical exam, which was where Temba Squad even revealed to me that while normal usually my aversion to my body was a bit excessive, apparently they could read my body language, I had Mimik use some of the equipment and temporarily upgrade it to run tests of my own. I think I already knew, but I had to confirm. I am sure everyone else already knew, or at least suspected.

"Alright, fine..."

This looked like it was supposed to be a normal collar, but for some reason on me...did she specifically choose it because while on the surface it looked like a normal collar, on me it made me look even cuter? It was embarrassing, but...if Sarah considered what she did so far to not be babying me, I would rather not find out what she did consider babying me. I would absolutely refuse to wear a diaper though!

"Well, I am off!"

"Take care! Oh, and one more thing!"

Before I set off, Sarah had one final thing to add.

"Jin called before and left you a cryptic message. He told you that 'Its okay to be selfish, provided you know what you really want. And it's okay to be afraid, so long as you can live with the decisions you make from that fear'. Said it would be important".

And so after hearing that, I ponded those words a bit as I left the house dressed in casual clothes and one collar locked around my neck perfectly sized. I finally left the house on my own. Well, my cheat (Mimik) was with me so everything should be fine. After all, it was a rather nice day today.

It seemed that Sarah's house was in an area of the city called a "subturban" (suburban) area. It was where a lot of individual houses were, and less of those super tall buildings. It was also less crowded, and I even spotted a place in the distance that didn't have any houses as well though it did have a sort of fence. From what I learned so far, it was probably a park?

Anyways, with some alone time, I decided to face the facts as I walked alone (with Mimik hidden) to help keep my head clear.

"Well, Mimik?"

"It is indeed as you suspected...based on the scans I could run using the equipment combined with my own abilities and enhancements, I confirmed...your body is unable to produce several hormones related to a stage of growth that is called "Puberty" here in Mideen. In fact, your growth will likely stop soon if not already. You wont live forever, but your body will not display any notable changes until around the age of seventy from this point on".

"...I suppose, in a way, after seeing everyone else and then myself, I already knew".

Maybe I had always known but did not want to admit it, but I was essentially trapped in this body now. Unchanging, at least for a good number of decades. I would experience everything in this body, this size. If I ever wanted to get married, or any of that other stuff, I would need to find a person who could accept me as is.

"Perhaps that is why Sarah is so insistant on stripping you and exposing your naked body? Perhaps she already realized this, and realized that if you did not accept and become comfortable with it, you wont ever be able to heal?"

Although I knew Mimik was just trying to help, the way he said it still made me blush like crazy. I especially hated it when she wanted to take pictures of me, and...and I suppose I could see what they were saying.

If I continued to get embarrassed to this degree and reject this body, I would always be depressed.

Eventually, me and Mimik found our way to the park while brooding over such things. I would never admit it, but they were right. I had a habit of brooding whenever I was alone.

"Tora, is that you?"

Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice call out to me. I turned around, and I saw two people together I did not expect. It was Shun and Konami, both walking together.

"Shun, Konami-sempai? What are you two doing here...and, together?"

"We were just doing some grocery shopping and ran into each other. Furthermore, Tora...what are you doing at a graveyard?"

"A...graveyard? What is that? Is it a special type of park? I thought this was a park?"

The moment they heard that, the two of them made conflicted looks and then decided to show me themselves. They brought me into this graveyard, and then after showing me all the carved stones they explained what they were there for and...

"...what is this..."

"...familiar feeling..."

As they finished and we walked further in, both me and Mimik...we felt or detected something familiar. As well as traces of Trion energy.

"There is Trion this way!"

"Huh?"

The two of us ended up running right towards this feeling we got. It was both a familiar feeling, and one that made us dread. It was something horrible.

I was sure of it, it was some sort of Colsaria Trion Creation. But why here?

Why in a graveyard, so far away from everything? Was it some sort of relay? Or just something they discarded? Or...

"What the hell are you doing here, scum?"

...or was it leading us right into an encounter with Miwa.

Shun and Konami caught up from behind and saw him as well, and quickly came to my side.

"I guess you just sensed his Trion, huh?"

Even though I was staring down Miwa and encountered him, he was not what I sensed. What I sensed was...

"It is faint, but in that grave right there...I sense a faint Trion Energy Signature similar to some I sometimes felt in Colsaria".

Yes, the grave that had a partially familiar name carved into it.

Saya Miwa. Who died four and a half years ago. And that name...

The moment Miwa heard that, he grabbed me and raised me up with both hands while staring right into my eyes.

"What?! What the hell is this?! Don't you dare try to use this to mess with me, Neighbor! Don't you dare use my dead sister!"

But I could not focus on Miwa's questions right now. My eyes were drawn to a picture left on the grave. A picture of a younger Miwa, and someone who somewhat resembled him. But...this was not my first time seeing that face.

She was a subject they acquired after me that they brought in. A subject for the Champion, though a few steps behind me.

"...she isn't dead..."

The words I spoke next stopped Miwa from taking out his Trigger and outright killing me there, though I myself had not registered that. I was still in a daze, only half aware of what was going on.

"What the fuck do you mean?"

"Colsaria sometimes for covert abductions replaces a kidnapped victim with a fake body. It is a real body, not one made of Trion, but they use a special Trigger that uses Trion to do it. This leaves faint traces, traces I was forced to sense repeatedly while in that lab so I became sensitive to them. And also...before my escape, I saw her pass my cell alive. That was four weeks ago, but she still needed quite a bit of time before she would be ready. So, yes. She is alive".

Miwa finally dropped me as I uttered those words, but had a mix of rage and sadness appear on his face. But I could fully understand why.

He had seen my scars. Granted only the ones on my upper body, but that should be enough to understand.

To understand what I went through.

And now he just learned his sister is still alive.

But that she also went, and is still experiencing, what I went through.

All that pain, all that suffering, all that despair. All that isolation.

All the pain and suffering I experienced for four to five years (actually because I came in a good time before her, I could finally confirm it was actually more around five since the invasion happened four and a half years ago), she was now also experiencing.

And that she would be turned into a Champion, just like I nearly was. My final procedure was set for the day after I escaped. Hers was still much farther down the line though but...from this current point in time, probably only a couple of weeks, give or take.

"You will tell me everything you..."

Before Miwa could threaten information out of me, a huge alarm began blaring across the city. As we looked towards the base, we saw a huge number of Gates open up and Trion Soldiers slipping out in great numbers. There were so many, a few gates were even trying to open inside civilian areas.

The five of us ran out of the graveyard as we watched more and more gates open up in the distance. Me, Shun, Konami, and Miwa all activated our Triggers as well, but...

"Tsk, we are too far. Even in our Trion Bodies, we will never make it in time".

Miwa started to come over to me, probably to continue our conversation, but as I saw some of the Trion Soldiers slip out I realized something.

"I am sure you have many questions Miwa, and maybe I have some answers. But...how about we talk about that later? Here is something you can do now though. The people currently invading us are Colsaria Trion Soldiers..."

As I said that, I clenched my fists. I could feel a mix of fear and despair. I could feel it, this was not just some simple raid. They had decided to go all out this time. I had to run. I had to hide...

"Tora?"

"Tora-chan?"

I couldn't fight the Champion, I knew that. If I went out there, I would be captured and turned into one of those things. I would rather let Sarah and Suzu do whatever they wanted to me then that. I would rather let anyone do whatever they wanted with me regardless of what it was, then let that happen.

If I went out there, I would certainly lose. And I just spoke with such confidence too.

 _"Nice to meet you, Tora-kun"._

 _"Good Morning, Tora-chan...damnit..."_

Temba Squad, who I spoke to a lot both before, after, and during the medical exam, who saw my entire naked body, all my scars, and did not even flinch once, and Daisuke who was there with me from the beginning...I would lose them all...

There was nothing I could do, no way to make this work out. I wouldn't even make it in time...no matter what happened I would have sorrows and regrets.

And then Jin's words echoed in my head. The words he left for me this morning, as if he knew this would happen. With his Side Effect, he probably did.

I still felt the fear and despair, and I still saw this only ending in me losing something. But...

"Screw that".

A part of me broke inside, or maybe it had been broken all along and was finally fixed. I muttered to myself, a low voice no one else could hear.

"...if I cant see a way to make sure I don't lose everything, then I will just have to break everything in my way until I do".

I was still afraid. If I was not in a Trion made body right now, I would probably be peeing myself right now.

But there was a difference between me weeks ago and me now. A difference between the me who ran away and the me now.

 _"I cant trust you as a Border Agent, not when its clear you are going to run away the moment it gets tough or mentally stressful for you"._

I remembered Izumi's words. But also what he told me at the end.

 _"So prove me wrong"._

I was not sure if I could do that today. I was not sure I wouldn't run away the moment I saw a Champion.

But, I was not going to run away before I even started. And I was not going to let us be late. I looked around, and then spotted something on the street that could help us get there in time.

"Mimik, can you make it work?"

"Yes. It will be a bit stressful on you though..."

"I don't care. This is the best option".

Mimik seemed to pause for a moment after realizing my plan, and my resolve.

"Understood, Tora".

I realized I was still a child. That I was just a young, naïve boy who needed support and care. Protection and help.

But, I could still help people myself as well.

(Jin POV)

As Jin took down a number of tough Trion Soldiers with his Fujin, he felt something shift in the air. No, that was only him and a reaction he had to his Side Effect.

"It looks like, the worst possible ending has been avoided...if only that meant all the bad endings were avoided though...however..."

As he looked away, he saw a large amount of Trion Soldiers of particular power and toughness heading right towards the base. Given the sheer number, even A-Rank squads that worked together would have serious issues. There had to be hundreds of them, maybe even over a thousand Trion Soldiers heading right towards the base across a major critical junction in the ruins inside the forbidden zone.

From what Jin saw, this amount would easily destroy the base if they reached. There were also several flying type Trion Soldiers as well, but the reason Tachikawa and Izumi could not be there to deal with that horde was because they were dealing with the fliers. And then of course, there was at least one, maybe two, Champions lurking around. So a lot of their elites were currently unable to deal with it. And if the base fell, Border would fall. They would need a small team of elites or specialists to handle that huge army.

Yes, it should be hopeless...

(Kranz POV)

"Ha! There are too many, and our modifications make our Trion Soldiers far too strong for them! They have no hope!"

Kranz was absolutely sure. Even though the invasion had just started, he made his moves so that they would be too spread out to deal with this army.

They were getting so close now...

"Hold it! A huge trion energy signature just appeared in front of...no, in front of an under the army! Actually...its three Trion Energy signatures and...its a minefield!"

And then in front of Kranz eyes, his entire army got bombed right in front of him. It would not take them all out, but the damage was clearly going to be severe.

"What! What the hell happened!"

(Jin POV)

"...should be hopeless if we did not have those three goofballs. They did manage to prank me after all, and this is their specialty".

(Cylian POV)

"Confirmed kills across the board, but they are still coming! Activate turrets! If they want to reach this base...then they will have to get through Temba Squad first!"

And so, the ones who just scored a big win, the ones Jin had trust and faith in, the Squad who specialized in Traps and Defenses, Temba Squad was the squad who had come to stand in their way. And not only did they have the home field advantage, but in this situation their talents would shine the most. In terms of fighting power to stop an invasion, they outranked pretty much every A-Rank Team.

And so the first group that made a huge impact in this war was indeed those three idiotic goodballs, the tactical trap and defense specialists B-Rank Temba Squad. And everyone who faced them knew, getting through their defenses was not going to be easy or simple.

(And the Invasion has begun! Tora got featured quite a bit, but Temba Squad...well, as expected? Of course the Squad that specializes in traps and defenses would play a major role in defending against an invasion! Compared to B-Rank Wars, this is far more their battlefield. But...everyone will have their own roles to play as well, so you better stay tuned!)


	19. Invasion of Mideen 1

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 17: Invasion of Mideen 1

AN: Hope you guys are excited for this Arc! Its time for an all out brawl! After all, World Trigger is easily one of my favorite and one of the best action animes of all time!

(Temba POV)

"Now, switch out!"

Temba Squad immediately switched out what they had been currently using, a Raygurst and Meteora Combo…and instead each one of them took out an Ibis. This had replaced their Bagworm Trigger, which was ultimately pointless in this situation given that there was Trion signatures everywhere and their position was already revealed.

The three of them were scattered around the ruins of the taller buildings in the area they were covering, and began firing Ibis without reserve. Although it was not as if they each created a blast that was several meters wide with a single shot, they certainly held more then enough Trion to still count those "sniper" shots as mini cannons.

If there was say, some sort of massive Trion Monster level of a person out there, then each member of Temba Squad would roughly have 2/3rds of that person's level. So while they certainly would draw the attention of Neighbors, its not like it was some ridiculous overflowing amount though it did get close.

As such, each one of them were firing an Ibis with that much power at the reserves. Supporting them were three Sentry Turrets, an overwhelming number of Defense Turrets, mines they still held in reserve, and other traps. Wire Zones with Meteora Mines attached waited at any point a Trion Soldier might try to use to get to them, and next to each of their sniper locations was a Switchbox they could use. Shield Pads and Teleport Pads were also set up, so they could evacuate themselves and each other. And all data was not only being handled by their Captain, Cylian Temba, but also by their operator Kasumi Yamato. And this was not the only thing of note.

As mentioned, all of Temba Squad had high Trion levels. And as was well known, people with high Trion Levels developed Side Effects. Some were extremely useful, others seemed less so. But with Temba Squad, it was basically guaranteed they had Side Effects.

Roku and Yachi Takashi both had the same Side Effect as twins, called Bond. It gave them that sort of twin telepathy in a sense that people often joke about, and it was fairly strong. Of course it went unnoticed because people often assumed it was just because they were twins anyways, but infact they also tended to not reveal just how strong that bond was.

As for Cylian, he had a Side Effect called Micro-Manage. This allowed him to even in the heat of a battle, perfectly able to manage the various locations of traps, how they are set up, and so forth. Of course, this was something he built it to. Yes, Micro-Manage was something he was born with. But he had to train with and work with traps to be as good as he was, even with Micro-Manage.

Temba Squad's Side Effects on their own actually were not all that great, especially on their own. But when they decided their focus in traps seeing as how it was a territory few people if any at all ever went into, they also honed their Side Effects to suit their needs. Cylian made it so that he could use his Side Effect to coordinate with the Operator, reducing stress on her so she can support them better. And Roku and Yachi would try to cover each other.

Actually, this was unable to be seen well in the B-Rank Wars match they had before, but their preferred style if an enemy was bypassing their traps was to have Roku and Yachi double team them, or lure them into each other's traps. They would support each other or work together to support Cylian, and Cylian would cover them if needed so they could get into formation. Of course they also trained in case any of these formations could not be completed just in case, which was why they could still be quite effective.

And right now, they were using all their defenses, all their training in full to hold their position against the main congested Trion Soldiers. Of course, its not like their full force was there, or even most of it. But it was the highest congestion of enemies, and no one could move to stop them because the other forces had appeared first and started causing havoc elsewhere.

This largest congested force was being held back by three goofball orphans who were still elementary school age. Well, it was right at the border between the end of elementary and the start of middle school, but that detail was besides the point. They had been malnourished due to the conditions at their Orphanage so they couldn't help it.

"Abnormally fast marmod, on the left near the mailbox!"

"Got it! Also, Bammster trying to sneak into the alleyway by the street light!"

"I got that one! Keep watch out for any more abnormal movements or potential dangers! Keep them away from the defense lines as long as possible, the longer we can keep them away the better off everything will be!"

The three coordinated with each other, matching their shots, trajectories, everything so that they were covering each other. Once an enemy went out of one of their views, one of the others were sure to take it out.

And of course, the array of Sentry Turrets and Defense Turrets also played a role. Gunning down any and all enemies that got too close, the trio had set up a masterful defensive line. With each one firing off Ibis, keeping the pressure off the defensive line so that it would hold out as long as they could.

But of course, they did not expect things to go this simply…

"New Type of Trion Soldier, coming out of the donut shop rumble!"

"I see it…its producing Trion Cubes!"

And then, surely enough this new type of Trion Soldier which looked a bit like a Tiger perhaps, had its "tail" produce multiple Trion cubes and then fired it at them. Each shot had a ton of power, and was easily able to penetrate the walls of the buildings.

And yet not a single member of Temba Squad took damage thanks to the Shield placements they put down using Switchbox.

"It hit the shields hard, but they are still up…and…there!"

Roku checked the status of the shields as he fired an Ibis shot to destroy it. Yet just as he did, five more came out from behind corners to also attack.

Cylian took out one almost instantly, and Yachi another before they even had time to attack. But the Bammsters moved into the way of the turret fire which prevented the turrets from hitting them.

"Now! Activate grid five!"

But that did not matter as blades shot out of the ground, piercing multiple Trion soldiers including two of these "Bombards". The Bombards seemed to have exceptional ranged abilities, but Cylian also saw claws on them which meant they likely had skill in close quarters combat as well.

"Rabbits! Approaching from the east!"

And then, three Rabbits came into view. Cylian had heard a lot about these things, they were tough, fast, agile, and annoying.

"Now, field seven!"

And right under those three rabbits, several dozen mines activated and then detonated. Two were immediately destroyed while the last one charged towards them with only light injuries.

But, well, the three of them each shot an Ibis shot into it at the same time, and wiped it from existence.

This was the true and full power of Temba Squad. If you gave them time to set up, an invading army was no match for their tactics.

"How big of a bonus do you think we will get from this?"

"We are single handedly holding this location, keeping the army away from the base, and we just wiped out three Rabbits and several of these new Bombard things….Yamato-neechan, coin that name before anyone else does for us!"

"Yes yes…also, it seems there is another pack heading your way".

Right as she said that, surely enough three dozen Marmods came charging their way. Among them were eight Bombards, five Rabbits, and another newtype. It looked like it was some sort of floating orb with a lens, probably its "eye". It's core was behind it…but…

"Its…its charging up! It's a laser! The Oculus thing is firing a laser!"

As the Bombards began to launch their projectiles at them, the Orb…the Oculus as it was now dubbed fired a Trion Laser at them. They had to take cover to be safe, but even so it actually did cut through the shields as if they were not there.

The three of them then fired a combined Ibis shot at it, but it appeared to have shields of its own. However…this was an Ibis shot from the three of them.

If normal people with normal Trion levels tried this, its shields would stop some of the blow and then the armor would do the rest. But this was Temba Squad, the atypical goodball squad made of people that only had high Trion levels. Even if they were all essentially chibis, they held enough power to be able to place all these traps and still fire Ibis shots one after the other.

"Field three!"

And then, they detonated another batch of mines, taking out everything except the Rabbits that had tough enough armor to survive the blasts, although they were damaged.

They fired off Ibis shots though at those remaining Rabbits to finish them off.

"Looks like most of the force is taken care of for now, but we have movement in the distance".

"Yeah, wait…isn't that one moving at an exceptionally high speed? What is…"

"KREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE".

"Hey, you three! Heads up! That thing is coming! It's…"

"A Champion".

"Well that's…"

"…not good".

Temba Squad had heard rumors of this Champion from Tora when they were messing around with him and…

"Now that I think about it, we did not get a good look. We should do that later, I am curious on if a Neighbor's body has any real differences from ours".

"Cylian, would you focus damnit! The Champion is heading this way!"

"Don't worry, based on the route it is taking…the Champion wont be a problem for long. Thanks to Jin-sempai".

There it was, the Champion. Its distorted face and humanoid appearance creeped Temba Squad out, but they managed not to have the feeling of throwing up. However…

"The Champion….has a weird bracelet on it's wrist?"

"Kreeeee Kree!"

"Its…activating a Trigger?!"

The moment they realized the Champion was activating a Trigger, all of Temba Squad fired off Ibis shots at it to do damage and slow it down. A Champion was a Trion Soldier created from a person. Because of that, it could use Triggers. Tora had…well, he had destroyed quite many things in his escape, so until now they had no Trigger designed to work with them.

But now, they had those Triggers again.

Several strange crystals appeared around it, and fired off lasers and Trion based projectiles as Temba Squad as it approached. Temba Squad used their Trion to fortify their shields and also infuse Meteora into the turrets to turn them into explosive rounds.

"Activate field four!"

And then, a huge minefield activated under the Champion and detonated, to inflict heavy damage. But due to the sheer strength and endurance of a Champion, it did not even slow it down.

"Activate field thirteen!"

Another minefield was detonated under the approaching Champion as they fired more Ibis shots. The Champion was taking damage, but it was not enough to where it felt threatened. It continued to attack them and close the difference…

And then Cylian smiled.

"Warp Pad Alpha!"

And the Champion that was charging them…disappeared.

* * *

(? POV)

The boy watched as a Champion appeared in front of him, as the two were now alone.

But he was totally unphased.

"Oooh, this looks like it will be fun".

The Champion turned around to face this boy.

"My name is Amo. I wonder how long I can play with you before breaking you?"

And so the strongest S-Rank fought against the Champion at full power without help from anyone else.

* * *

(? POV)

While Temba Squad was dealing with the overwhelming forces in the front, some other new type Trion Soldiers slipped behind to strike from the rear. These were Torbels, a Stealth Based Trion Soldier. Torbels would cloak, sneak up behind entrenched enemies, and then take them out after bypassing all defenses. They were truly dangerous because they could operate without anyone being aware they were there.

And yet, even while cloaked these things were being taken out behind Temba Squad without mercy, or without alerting Temba Squad.

And the ones responsible were….

"This is Tenryu Sq…"

"This is the Shobu Ninja Squad reporting it! All enemies sneaking up behind our Temba Friends have been eliminated!"

"Kaze, are you still going on with that ridiculous nickname?"

"It is a great nickname! It fits us perfectly!"

"…I am okay with it…"

"Yay! See Ame? Shobu agrees with me!"

"Fine fine. Will Temba Squad need our support anymore, or should we go assist somewhere else?"

Shokubutsu "Shobu" Tenryū, Kazekiri Kirigiri, Kirisame Mori. These three made up Tenryu Squad, popularly known thanks to Kaze as the Shobu Ninja Squad. They were currently acting as mobile support, running around and sneaking up behind enemies that were focused on other squads and taking them out. They had stopped by when they heard a Champion was heading towards Temba to make sure the plan worked to transport it to Amo, and along the way noticed Stealth based Trion Soldiers sneaking up behind them.

"…HQ?"

"Sorry, we just got a strange report of a civilian vehicle driving into the Forbidden Zone, but it looks like it was…well, them. We had the identity confirmed".

"Them…ohhhh!"

And then, the Shobu Ninja Squad announced it in unison.

"Tamakoma-1!"

"Since they are on scene in that location….Senzai Squad is currently facing a pack of Rabbits at the old Market Square".

"Ehhhh?! And they didn't invite us?! I want to pet the Rabbits!"

"…Tenryu Squad heading out, Director Shinoda".

"Alright. Take care, Tenryu Squad".

Shobu Squad then used their trion bodies and jumped from ruined building to ruined building, heading towards Market Square and Senzai Squad.

"They really are coming in a huge force…this cant be just for that boy, Tora-kun, right?"

"You mean that Chibi-shota Ame? It does seem a bit much just for that? They might be looking to capture normal agents as well".

"…I don't think he likes that nickname Kaze…"

"But it fits him perfectly! Fine fine, how about…Tora-shota?"

"…denied…"

"No way! I think he will love it!"

"How…how do you even think that way?"

* * *

(Jin POV)

Jin looked down upon the streets below, as he slashed up numerous enemies with Fujin. Unfortunately for him, due to how the enemy had decided to operate he could not pinpoint where it would likely end up because there were equal chances of it ending up in a variety of spread out locations.

Jin was not sure how they learned of his Side Effect or how they were gathering intel in general, but now he understood while Colsaria was such a threat. Not only could they gather intelligence with seemingly easy ability, their Trion Soldiers were better, stronger, modified. They could develop even more dangerous and scarier Trion Soldiers that surpassed what they usually faced.

Jin did not exactly like the odds he was seeing for them, but he had faith in his allies and friends.

And then as he jumped from a building, he blocked an attack that came at Superspeed. Attacking him was some bipedal Trion Soldier that had blades for arms and could more at speeds that normal Trion Soldiers could never hope for. From what he understood, this one would be called a "Hunter".

And as Fujin wind blades struck it in its back, it tried to cut Jin's head and right leg off simultainiously. But Jin predicted the moment and avoided it all, escaping critical damage. Of course, in his current position he might seem like he is in danger since he would not be able to block or dodge anymore. However…

It suddenly got hit with multiple strikes from a Lightning.

"Jin-kun! Your backup has arrived!"

"Right on time".

The squad that had ended up being closest to Jin, and made it there to help him deal with this new type of Trion Soldier, Tsukiko Squad being led by Yuki Tsukiko had come to take the stage. And of course as another Hunter showed up, it got hit from a range that put even Suzu in shock.

"…and it looks like Daisuke is in position too".

Daisuke, who seemed to have this perfect aim that bordered on scary, was all the way back on the roof of HQ. He was set up with a sniper rifle, and observing everything from a distance, picking off strays that might get troublesome, or enemies that tried to surprise attack Border Agents.

"Alright guys, there is a heavy number coming this way. We need to thin them out so that they don't trouble anyone else".

"Very well then, let's begin…Laser Circus!"

"Meteora!"

As Takeshi "Take" Kotowari unleashed his signature move Laser Circus, Yuki unleashed a full blast of Meteora while Suzu took down enemies that were further away with her Lightning and Toby used his dual Scorpions. Tsukiko Unit jumped into the fray with full power, working alongside Tamakoma's S-Rank Jin.

Trion Soldiers of all types came to meet them. Bammsters, Marmods, Rabbits, Oculi (plural of Oculus), Bombards, and Hunters all came after them. It was not as big as the group that Temba Squad took down, but in exchange they couldn't set up the defensive perimeter that Temba did.

As Yuki followed his Meteora by taking out his Kogetsu, another cube of Meteora he formed from behind came forward and attacked anything going for what appeared to be his blindspots, and then finishing off the ones that dodged with Kogetsu, with Take's laser circus coming through that rubble and striking the tougher looking ones. Suzu then started striking the isolated ones, or ones that were attacking at range like the Bombards, and Toby came from behind and struck them with his Scorpions.

Hunters came from behind, but they got picked off consecutively by the ally they could not see, Daisuke, and Jin's Fujin that sent wind blades at just the right spot each and every time.

"Wait, get back!"

Jin suddenly called out to Tsukiko Squad, who coordinated with him and immediately jumped back as the entire area they used to be standing in exploded. Even Toby with his Side Effect would not have been able to dodge the massive explosive attack. And along with that, more Trion Soldiers started coming out of everywhere. A large number of them were heavy types or could fire powerful ranged attacks.

But that was not the most concerning thing.

"KREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Off in the distance, a second Champion emerged onto the battlefield. And Jin notably frowned.

"It looks like…the best possible future is gone…"

"The best possible?"

"A future where not a single Border Agent got seriously harmed or killed…it looks like we got really unlucky too…huh?"

Jin said some bleak words, but then got surprised by something.

"What now?"

"…not entirely sure, but it looks like someone did something completely unexpected".

The moment they heard that, Tsukiko Squad looked entirely shocked.

"Something Jin did not expect?!"

"Yeah…and it looks like someone is also doing something reckless".

* * *

(Sarah POV)

I raced through the streets, eliminating every Trion Soldier in my path. My high Trion levels let me keep this up, bombarding them with Meteora and Asteroid, Viper when needs be but I needed more power then tactics right now due to the sheer number of them.

The moment I heard it, I started to make a line right towards the sound. Towards the Champion.

"Sarah, a Champion is dangerous. Please let A-Rank Squads handle it, you don't even have your full squad with you right now!"

My operator told me to back off, but I couldn't. I had to help, I had to make sure it was taken out.

"I cant, not if I can stop it from reaching Tora-chan. He is not ready to face that thing. He wont be able to handle it mentally. So, I will take it out for him".

"…Sarah, you know that will only be a temporary fix right?"

I did, I knew it at that point already. I knew that the only way Tora could ever truly overcome the largest issue he had was to face it himself. But…

"The Champion is just too strong. He isn't ready for it".

"I think you are all idiots for letting him join Border in the first place".

Suddenly, a voice spoke out from behind me, and startled me. It belonged to B-Rank Agent Ninomiya, someone who was well known for being harsh and critical.

And he spoke to me in a voice that could be considered highly provocative.

"Nino…what the hell are you doing here?"

"That thing represents the greatest threat to us right now. From what I heard, Temba successfully isolated one with Amo, but it appears they got a second one. And supposedly, they are using Triggers now".

"Triggers…"

"So of course I am going to make sure it gets taken out. And I overheard you talking about your stupid ideas in the process".

"What the hell does that mean?"

"As a Border Agent and a teammate, that pet you have is totally unreliable. All you and Daisuke do is coddle him and treat him like a child, instead of facing the issue that he will run away and abandon you the moment things get tough".

"You bast…"

"Is that wrong? Aren't you yourself actually hoping he does not join the battle, that he remains that broken boy for you to cuddle with and bond with, to replace your own family that races off across the world and often leaves you behind?"

"!"

Ninomiya just let all of his opinions and criticisms out as we continued towards the Champion, even attacking me verbally. He was really starting to piss me off.

"Border Agents need to stand strong and hold their own. It would have been better to just keep him contained inside the base, or just get rid of him".

"What the hell! He doesn't deserve that kind of coldness, not after everything he has been forced to go through!"

"Well Border sure as hell doesn't need him. He is not someone who can be relied on. The only reason you brought him into Border was to protect him and coddle him, right?"

"It was his decision to join Border!"

"Because that might be his singular good point, he knows his weakness. He had to negotiate quite a bit, and accept being ostracized by most. And you did nothing to stop him. Your entire squad is full of weaklings, idiots, and hypocrits. That boy does not have what it takes to be a Border Agent".

Ninomiya's words stung deep into me. I knew that it was true, but it was not the only reasons. There was the fact he was taking responsibility, being an adult. So that he could show his worth, and make friends among those in Border who respected strength and ability, or could overlook him being a Neighbor. He could provide benefits to Border, and Border could give him what he needed.

I was sure that Border would need Tora just like Tora needed Border. And the fact that Kido accepted it proved that had to be the case.

"What are you saying at this time?"

"Are you really having this conversation right before a fight with one of those things?"

And then, two others came towards them as we got ever closer to the Champion. It was Izumi and Minoru, two A-Rank agents.

Ninomiya glanced at Minoru for a moment with a bit of surprise and concern, but it was Izumi who spoke up first and broke any potential mood from forming.

"Ninomiya, that was a bit too harsh just now".

"…but it is all true".

"It…it's not!"

I quickly defended Tora, but Izumi shook his head.

"No Sarah, it is true. Tora is not someone who we can trust as a Border Agent".

I looked a bit shocked at Izumi's statement, but to the surprise of everyone else he just smiled.

"But given him as a person, I am interested in seeing him prove me wrong".

Ninomiya's eyes widened. I felt like I was missing something important. Minoru just listened intensely.

"Wrong? You realize he has not even appeared on the battlefield yet right?"

"No, actually…Reiji and Kurasawa had defense duty today".

"So?"

"So who was in the reported vehicle driving this way?"

And then at Izumi's suggestive inquiry, everyone's eyes widened while a certain vehicle was also heading right through the Forbidden Zone.

"He is already here, in the fight".

(Next time, what sort of reckless plan are they doing that Izumi seems to have enjoyed looking at?! And will Minoru (Yujonokage's OC) and Ninomiya be able to focus with each other there? What about the fate on Senzai Squad (Monkey pie225's OCs)? I guess you will just have to find out next time! Oh, and although I have already done this before, just in case there are shifty sneaky Chapter Skippers around (I know I know, what a dirty concept skipping chapters!), Tsukiko Squad and Tenryu Squad came from TheAnimeTrain! I know, a lot of OCs right? Never fear, I am sure everything will be fine! Well, just wait till you learn what several canon characters are also up to...hehehe...)


	20. Invasion of Mideen 2

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 18: Invasion of Mideen 2

(Tora POV)

"This is insane!"

"Don't worry! We will definently make it there!"

"No, I mean why are you the one dirving!"

"Konami taught me, and it's my Trigger!"

"Wait, when the hell did Konami teach you to drive!"

"During the two weeks I was practicing with Border Triggers!"

"…I find it questionable if we can call this driving…wait, are you telling me it took you less then two weeks to figure out Border's Triggers?"

"You have seen my Neighborhood Trigger right?! I am very good with weapons!"

Shun gave me a look of shock and disbelief as a pickup truck raced down the streets of the Forbidden Zone. Most would question this normally, but this was no normal pickup truck. Border Logos were on all of the doors, on the hood of the truck, and on the floor in the back. But only the logos had the standard Border color, the car was a different design.

To be exact, it was white with red highlights and details.

And as I took a hard turn in the Driver's seat, three Trion Cubes appeared around the truck and blasted Trion soldiers nearby. In the passanger seat looking impatient was Konami, and in the back seat was Midorikawa.

And in the very back was Miwa using a heavy machine gun firing countless Trion bullets. If one had to know why Miwa was in this situation, there was two reasons. First of all, this was admittedly a great way to take out Trion Soldiers. Second of all, until he learned everything he needed from me about his sister and how to save her, he did not give me permission to die. As if I was his pet or slave or something…and yes it occurred to me I had a collar on right now. Shut up!

Which was why he was currently in the back shooting the produced minigun.

As of right now, not a single one of us were in Trigger form and for good reason. Aside from the truck also protecting us, operating something like this took a lot of Trion. All four of the passangers, in other words us, were currently providing the car with Trion.

In other words, it was being given Trion by me who had three high quality Trion Glands, and Shun, Konami, and Miwa who were A-Rank. The sheer amount of Trion being pumped into this vehicle allowed it to operated a powerful Trion Chaingun, and creating several Shooter Cubes, while also protecting all of them. Shields would automatically deploy in response to attacks, and it was also heavily armored.

"I can't believe Miwa decided to come with us".

"I can't believe Miwa telling me I was not allowed to die is scarier then when he was trying to kill me".

I was still scared of how severe that reaction was, and how forceful it was. It was so terrifying I nearly ran away on the spot.

"Konami! You really taught him how to drive?!"

"Yeah! He is a really quick study right? Look how great he is already!"

As Shun questioned Konami on if she really taught me to drive, I drove down another street, running right into several Marmods and turning them into roadkill. After that I hit a Rabbit, and after blasting it with some Asteroid cubes as well also turned it into roadkill...though it looked like I should probably avoid running into too many of those as the truck's armor was nearly damaged by it.

"See! He is able to hit everything in our way!"

"So you taught him combat driving?!"

"Well after learning his Neighborhood Trigger could also be used on vehicles, I thought this was a great idea!"

"He cant even reach the pedals normally!"

As for how I was reaching the medals, by converting a vehicle into a Trion version using my Neighborhood Trigger, I could customize it a bit. One of those customizations was the chaingun in the back Miwa was currently using to turn Trion Soldiers into swiss cheese. The other was more extensive modifications for how to alter the size of the drivers seat to suit people, such as…less taller people like myself.

So that was I how converted this pickup truck and was now driving it down using the driving skills Konami taught me. Actually, I also did some…uhh…digital training, using a vehicle called a "Warthog" in combat simulator and certainly not video game called Halo…

Yes, okay! I got an Xbox One and Halo! But you know, I do have to have some normal aspects about me!

Anyways, as we drove down those streets all of a sudden I heard something in the distance that made my eyes widen.

"KREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE".

Almost instantly my hands started to shake and I began to hyperventilate. I could feel my body screaming at me, telling me to run away at high speeds. Get away from it. Get as far away from it as possible. My body began breaking out into a sweat.

"Tora? Tora? Tora!"

Konami and Shun's shaking and voices snapped me out of it as I made a hard right, away from the screech.

"Mimik, what are our Trion Levels at?"

"Right now, thanks to the efficiency of the design of this vehicle, we are currently at 54%. However, keep in mind operation time is being affected by the drain of the constant attacks".

"I see…"

"Alert. I have detected several incoming Colsaria Speeders. It seems they have found us".

Suddenly from behind, two gates opened and two people, not Trion Soldiers, riding some weird combination of car and motorcycle came out. The vehicles immediately began firing weapons, but then again, those vehicles themselves were Triggers. Colsaria didn't quite have the same manpower as say, Aftokrator, but they had their advancements alright. Vehicle Type Triggers, Medical Type Triggers, hell there were even Farming Type Triggers. That was how they knew even who had high Trion easily in their nation. Each Trigger would report Trion levels. But in exchange for taking who they needed and what they needed, the Government of Colsaria provided its people with Triggers that made life easier. Triggers were not just combat to them.

Some people even used Triggers to create art. Some Triggers were art itself.

That was why it had command over various other Planet Nations, and why it could do raids like this. But to make it even more understandable, they also did covert ops to other Planet Nations that were also as dangerous as them in terms of power. Aftokrator was one, but there were others. Like the ones responsible for the invasion on Mideen four and a half years ago.

Miwa fired his chaingun at them rather enthusiastically, and I also launched Shooter cubes at the people chasing us.

"These bastards imprisoned me for four and a half years! They barely fed me, made me sleep on the damn floor, go to the bathroom in that same room…I am not giving up my bed, my movies and games, and certainly not eggs! I still have not tried them all damnit!"

Konami nor Shun had anything to remark that time. Although that burst might seem silly, after spending so much time with me they understood just how valuable those things were to me. I had a life, I had stuff. What most considered daily remarks I considered luxuries.

Not only was it because I didn't want to become a Champion now, it was because I wanted to live.

It was because I had friends.

I didn't even realize it at the time, but I had stopped shaking. I had grit my teeth, the fear was gone from my eyes, and I was no longer trembling. I was no longer sweating, and I was no longer crying.

I had friends. I had family. And the people who hurt me for five years were now trying to hurt them, because of me.

"Mimik, can you increase Trion suction for all functions?"

"Tora…while you do have three Trion Glands, to output to the levels you plan to…it will hurt quite a bit".

"I don't care. Do it".

"Understood, Tora".

Suddenly three new Shooter cubes appeared around the car, and they were much bigger then before. My body's Trion veins began to glow visibly from the pressure I was putting on them, and Trion in the form of electricity began to spark out of my body (Been awhile since we saw that happen). Big enough that there was a noticeable shudder from the Speeders, likely because their drivers nearly lost control from fear when they saw the size of it.

They knew what I was capable of, and having pushed me around so much, how far I could go further when pushed. Because they were the ones who tortured me to be like that.

All three cubes zeroed in on one target. It was essentially a massively powerful Asteroid, times three, that was shot from multiple angles at a single target with overwhelming force. Even though those Speeders had armor and shields, they were rather pointless against an attack that held such power and one was destroyed instantly. We didn't even see the person inside, but…well, he was probably in Trion Form.

The other one was immediately taken out by Miwa after shooting it with that chaingun for the entire time it was chasing us.

"Is that it?"

"No, they were confirming if I was here or not probably. Now…now is where it gets heavy".

And as I said that, gates in the double digit number appeared behind us.

"See?"

"Well, that seems problematic".

"I am sure Miwa is having a field day right now".

"I am still concerned about Konami-sempai teaching Tora to drive…"

And as we went the other way, I ran over a…

"Is that another Rabbit?"

"Aren't those super tough? You should probably stop hitting them".

"Well, it is still alive after me hitting it. And I think it ran into us on purpose to try and slow us down. Mimik?"

"On it!"

Mimik then deployed several weapons at the roadkill (Rabbit) on the hood of the car and finished it off. It was already badly damaged after being run into.

"And behind us is…"

I looked back to see at least eight Speeders, four Hovertanks, three Gunships, and several unmanned Trion Drones being operated likely from those Gunships and Hovertanks. And also…

"Looks like hitting the Rabbit took a toll on the car. Its leaking Trion. That was probably their intention".

"Well then, I guess its time for plan B then?"

"Alright….everyone get ready!"

I turned a tight corner down into a side street as we all grabbed our Border Triggers.

"Trigger, Off!"

"Trigger, On!"

I deactivated my Neighborhood Trigger and we all activated our Border Triggers, switching to our Trigger mode and pulling out our weapons. My Cyclones, Konami's Sogetsu, Shun's Scorpion, and Miwa had his pistol out. A Normal Truck, no longer converted by my Trigger, was now behind us, sliding to a stop.

Mimik meanwhile had himself attached to my arm, and was preparing any number of extra abilities to use. With this, we had our setup.

"Now, everyone combined fire!"

"Grasshopper!"

Me and Shun placed countless Grasshoppers which launched me, Shun, and Konami towards the enemies as they launched special pods that deployed Trion Soldiers. But right as we got to the midway…

"Get Ready Tora!"

"Huh?!"

"We need you to take out the flying enemies with Miwa!"

Konami grabbed me, picked me up, and then threw me at the enemy gunships!

"Go, Tora Launch Cannon!"

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

Even so, it was just us four against all those Trigger users. Even with Konami, who knew how long we could hold out.

I severely hoped that Border would get here before the Champion. Or before Konami Sempai got me killed.

* * *

(Sthenos POV)

"Sthenos, there are twenty Marmods coming on the left!"

"Isn't that too many?!"

"That is why I am asking for your help!"

"Okay! Bombardy powers, activate!"

Sthenos then listened to the orders of her Captain and used her overwhelming amount of Trion with Meteora to decimate the enemies assigned to her. There were some still moving, but a good portion of them were gone.

"Ite-neechan! Are you okay over there?"

"Yeah! Just keep them busy so I can keep sniping!"

"What about you, Captain-niichan?"

"A…little busy!"

"How about you guys over there?"

The other trio that Sthenos called out to was Kazama Squad, who was off dealing with the main road to the market area. As such, they were racking up an astronomically high body count because enemies kept flooding in. But at the same time, because enemies kept showing up one after another they could not afford to leave to deal with other areas. It was a rather tricky situation for them.

And so they did not get surrounded, Senzai Squad also couldn't move. Even if Kazama was A-Rank, if they had to fight continuously while surrounded they would get caught up in a lot of issues.

"But…where are the other squads? Like Arashiyama? Or even Suwa or Arafune?"

"It looks like…Suwa is outside the Forbidden Zone, in the city where Trion Soldiers leaked out. Same with Arashiyama Squad. It looks like the enemy used civilians and turned them into Trion Soldiers in order to cause chaos everywhere. Hell, even the rest of Miwa Squad seem to be out in the city right now, and so is Nasu Squad. It looks like the Neighbors have been putting up a serious fight, because there are several others as well".

"So that is why we are stretched so thin…"

"Well, there is a good bit of news. It seems that Temba successfully isolated the Champion with Amo".

"Oh sweet! Hey, Kazuma Squad! You hear that?"

Kazuma sighed as he looked back.

"What?"

"Temba Squad managed to successfully move the Champion to Amo!"

The moment he heard that, Kazuma actually had a small peaceful look on his face…and perhaps almost a smile, before refocusing on the enemies.

"Good. I would rather not fight that thing if I don't have to. Have not even met it yet, but I heard it successfully fought against Jin and Miwa Squad".

"Yikes. That does sound scary".

As Kazuma Squad focused back on their battle and talked amonst themselves, several gates suddenly opened up nearby.

"More gates?! Seriously?!"

A flood of Trion Soldiers came through the gates, with numbers that overwhelmed any common sense. Numbers that even made Kazuma Squad wince. And furthermore, two strange Gunships seemed to appear overhead and began firing at them with powerful projectiles.

And yet….

"Never fear, the Shobu Ninja Squad is here!"

"I cant believe you just announced that so vigorously…oh blow up you!"

"…We are superheroes…"

The trio known as Tenryu Squad…or, rather, the Shobu Ninja Squad, had arrived on the scene to help out. Although, they did not appear on some rooftop. They appeared in the middle of scrap (former enemies until a second ago), weapons in hand and ready to fight.

Well, one of them seemed rather energetic, one of them seemed calm and embarrassed except for the moment he got attacked by a Trion Soldier as he was talking, and one of them seemed shy but…oddly into the whole ninja thing. Actually he called them superheroes with small stars in his eyes, but that was besides the point.

Shobu was the shy and quiet type normally, but…even he loved the idea of being superheroes.

He would vigorously deny any indication that it was the reason he joined Border though. Which should be suspect already if Shobu would be described as vigorous.

The Ninja Squad immediately lept into action and went to cover the right side. Up until now, Senzai Squad had to cover both the left and right and it was starting to take its toll on them, but now with them here Senzai Squad only had to cover the left side and anything that came out of the buildings.

"Any reports on other squads?"

"Err…well…"

"There is Chano Squad up north, and Yuba Squad is holding down a position west of here!"

"I…see…"

Even Sthenos who overheard this conversation between Ame and her captain knew both Chano and Yuba Squad were smallfry. Although supposedly Yuba was rising in the ranks, and even had a prominent All Rounder, they were still in the lower ranks.

"Oh, we also ran into Kageura Squad before! They were with Kusakabe Squad…well, minus Midorikawa that is".

"Ehhhh?! Why did you leave the actual important people for last!?"

"…sorry…"

Even though Senshi, her captain, had been getting all these details from Ame, Shobu ended up apologizing with a bit of a gloomy aura.

"Ehhh? Shobu?! Hold on, don't do that! Cheer up, look at all these enemies! We are super heroes right now!"

"…superheroes? Alright".

Seemingly pumped up again, and doing a small fishpump himself, Shobu got himself motivated again…probably…and continued to fight.

"Oh yeah, wait…there was one more squad we saw along the way…it was Bakaro Squad…"

"Wait, you mean those three?"

"Yeah, the one Azuma-sempai's little brother, Sora-kun is in. The team of Cyclone users. Azuma-Sempai was also there assisting him".

As Sthenos brought out more shooter cubes and launched them, she remembered the Neighbor boy she had yet to meet, Tora, was also a Cyclone user. This caused her to wonder just what this other squad was like? She even considered if he would be fun to play with, her mind going completely off track away from Bakaro Squad.

* * *

(Tsuni Bakaro POV)

"It looks like this area is all clear!"

Tsuni Bakaro announced that as the two Cyclones in her hands were brought to her side. Her crimson hair flew in the wind that matched her crimson overcoat, black pants, and crimson shoes. The jacket also looked a size or two too big for her, but she was a pretty tall girl of her age, that being sixteen. And she had two teammates with similar designs for their Trion Forms. That was Sora Azuma, Azuma Squad's Leader's younger brother.

(So, to clarify something I actually had the idea of this character planned for awhile, and then came up with Temba Squad afterwards. I am aware this sort of looks like the start of a pattern (which was actually started by Yuma), so I thought I should clarify this)

He was a boy who should appear about fourteen years of age, but looked younger like around twelve. Of course, there was something that made him look even younger…and that was his pure, innocent face that could easily be mistaken as a girl. And that matched his personality. Sora Azuma was truly a pure, sweet, naïve, innocent boy who did not have a mean and evil bone in his body. And unfortunately, sometimes he could miss things or get embarrassed by things quite easily.

His uniform was the same as hers, only instead of red shoes he had red boots. He also had a pair of headphones around his neck, although in truth those headphones were for something aside from listening to music. They were there for Tsuni to put on him whenever a conversation was about to happen that she did not want to corrupt his pure and innocent mind.

"Wow! Tsuni-nee! You are amazing! Right, Oniichan?!"

"Yes yes, your squad leader is quite good Sora".

He was talking to his older brother who they had been chatting with at the base when this all happened, and who had decided to join them in battle as his own squad was scattered around fighting elsewhere and this would be more efficient.

"But Sora-kun is the best! Look at his pile over there!"

Sora ended up blushing quite a bit after his other teammate, Mizuki Totorori, pointed out a huge pile of destroyed Trion Soldiers he cut up using his own Cyclones. However, one might expect the wounds created on them to have been made by a Kogestu, and not a Cyclone, and certainly not by him.

"I am really proud of you, Sora".

And as further compliments were given to him, he ended up blushing even more.

"R…really?"

"Yeah! You did great…and awwwww, you look so cute right now, your face all red and looking toward the ground all embarrassed!"

"C..cute?"

"Yeah!"

"You definently look cute, Sora-kun! But…we can get more into that later, it looks like we have an enemy approaching".

"Not just enemies…I think I see Trion shots in the distance…"

Tsuni quickly moved the Cyclone in her off hand to slipping around her wrist and up her arm as she took out what appeared to be a hunting rifle and looked down the scope. And it was there that she saw them, fighting something terrifying.

"Looks like our luck was bad. Apparently there is a second Champion, and its heading this way while engaging four other Border Agents…but, it doesn't look too damaged yet".

"Then we should help our friends, right?"

Although Sora looked the same, the nervousness he showed when being complimented was gone and he had two Cyclones in his hands now. That was his Side Effect "Battle Switch" kicking in, which let the normally innocent and pure Sora fight in battle without those parts of him ever getting corrupted. It was why someone with his type of personality was so easily able to enter Border and manage to advance to B-Rank. He was a member of Bakaro Squad, a Squad where every one of them used Cyclones as a weapon.

Sora was a pure attacker though, but he had several support based Triggers. Grasshopper, Teleport, Chameleon. He also had a new Trigger, Restoration, which allowed him to heal wounds and repair damage done to the Trion Body. On real people, it might not stop a visit to the hospital if severe enough, but it could at least improve the chances of survival. And when Restoration was Dual Wielded, it could even regenerate destroyed limbs though it would cost quite a bit of Trion. He was also extremely proficient with Shields, and often used his Grasshopper to help his allies instead of using it on himself.

Tsuni was the captain of the Squad, and was an All Rounder. She had an Egret in her Main hand Trigger, along with in her off hand a Rifle loaded with Asteroid that did heavy piercing, a Handgun for closer encounters also loaded with Asteroid in her off hand, and also she had a Grenade Trigger that was loaded with Meteora for extra boom. The two bottom slots in her trigger were for Shield, and the last main slot was the Bagworm.

And then there was Misaki Totorori. She was sixteen just like their captain Tsuni, and had long black hair and deep emotional black eyes. Her Trigger loadout, like the other two, had Cyclone in as her main weapon. She was an Attacker-Gunner, and in main hand she had Cyclone, Asteroid Handgun, Teleport, and Shield. In her off hand, she had Scorpion, Asteroid Handgun, Chameleon, and Shield. Furthermore, she has a skill that lets her easily switch between Triggers for each hand, letting her form one Trigger while dismissing the other simultainiously. This includes Chameleon and Teleport, as coming out of either she will often if not always have already started her attack.

This was the group known as Bakaro Squad. Some might question if it should just be named after Sora though, as the two girls tended to obsess and be over protective over their junior, and act like big sisters to him. Some might question if he was in a harem with them, but those would often get beaten up by the two when discovered as they consider him too pure and innocent for that kind of stuff. Unfortunately, this in no way helps the times when he says something oblivious to what it could be interpreted as, nor his ability to get embarrassed easily over trivial comments like basic compliments.

However, aside from the fact that Tsuni Bakaro was clearly the captain, there was already an Azuma Squad so this was less confusing. It was even led by Sora Azuma's older brother. As for why Sora did not join his big brother's squad, Azuma did not want to show any sign of favoritism, and also he believed that it would not fit him well given one of the other members.

So that was why even though the members of the unit tended to be centered around Sora Azuma, with both girls coddling and centering around him, it was called Bakaro Squad.

"Yes, I suppose we should…"

Sora's pure smile and innocent goodwill got through to her.

Tsuni considered that as she thought. She certainly wanted to destroy it. As a B-Rank Agent, she knew about Tora's true identity, the reason for the invasion, and the connection to this thing. Although they had heard of Tora's past…Tsuni still did not like Tora. In fact, at one point she even planned on killing him.

The reason those C-Ranks all picked on Tora was not just by chance, she had actually spread some rumors and gossip about it to get them agitated, like only by proving you're the best can you excel, that weak member of the group might slow down the others, that associating with ones that cant do much might drag you down, and so on. She made sure to carefully word it so that Tora would be seen as someone to dislike, that they should pick on, that would be a hinderance to them.

And the best possible case scenario to her was one where he acted up as a result, beat them up outside the training match, and she could declare him a threat and take him out right and there. But of course, he did not follow that option. Instead, he took them all on at once in an official session, won, and then got the rest of the points he needed from Midorikawa.

And that was when Sora saw her in the hallway.

"Are you okay?"

"That…that Neighbor…"

"Eh? Do you mean Tora-kun?"

"Hold on, why are you speaking as if you know him?"

"Oh, I was the one who told him he had to go visit the medical doctor on base as soon as possible".

"Why…why Sora? I…I know what you can be like, but he is a Neighbor! Like…like the ones who put my little brother in a wheelchair for his entire life!"

"But, he isn't one of those people right?"

And then, Sora's innocent, oblivious remark somehow cut right through everything. He was totally unaware of Tsuni's true feelings about this, about the pain she felt for her little brother. But her words still cut through her like a hot knife through butter.

Tora was not one of the people who hurt her.

No, he was hurt too. In even worse ways then Tsuni's little brother.

It was in that moment she started to make a complicated face, that Sora kissed her on the lips. This shocked her quite a bit.

"S..Sora?!"

"My mom always gave me a kiss to make me feel better, and the face you made just now made me feel like you were not feeling well".

Of course, Sora had no understanding at all what he just did…but that was one of the reasons Tsuni was a fan of and always caring for Sora.

"…right, I see. Thanks…"

Well, it was true the bad feeling she had diminished because of that shock. But, it was still a bit there. There she had just tried to target and kill a boy who was just as much as a victim as her own little brother, if not more. SO she felt pretty rotten about that.

And because of her overwhelming hatred of Neighbors, she had no idea how to handle Tora.

Tora brought Neighbors here. In other words, he was a threat to the safety of her little brother.

But Tora could also benefit Border, and help them advance.

Yet he also knew what he did and did not regret his decision, only that for a moment he considered acting like those scientists and not taking responsilbility.

She still wanted to kill him, not just because he was some Neighbor but because his continued existence was a threat to her little brother. But also…

"That thing…its disgusting".

When Tsuni saw the Champion, she could understand why he wanted to get away from it.

"Ms. Makoto, please let us know when the others nearby attack so we can join in and attack all at once".

"Looks like they plan to do it now! Get ready, several Border Agents are about to attack!"

The Champion...it was clearly shaped like a human, and it was highly believable that it could have once been human. This Champion was a bit bigger then Tora, but child sized still. It was clear that they seemed to use children a lot, there was likely a reason for it.

Tsuni could understand that.

But before the Champion could even get to them, several Egret shots came out and so did a huge Tomahawk bombardment. Following that was another A-Rank Agent, Minoru, getting involved using some combination of Scorpion and Martial Arts that Tsuni was only just barely manage to follow. Mizaki could probably follow it better since she was more into martial arts, but Tsuni lacked the knowledge to understand that actually being able to follow those movements at that distance, done by Minoru especially, was impressive.

However she knew she could not match it, but they had their own style to use in terms of power and ability. They were all great Cyclone users, but they also had a few other tricks as well.

"Okay people! Leave the close range stuff to the A-Ranks, even as Master Cyclone users we should not charge towards an enemy like that. Which means, we stay at range. Sora-kun, support the others. Use Grasshopper to get anyone that the Champion goes after to safety. Mizaki, dual wield pistols. I will hit it at range with my Egret!"

"Understood!"

"Roger!"

And so, the two moved out with unparalleled unity. Each one took their locations, and they began supporting the others who had already engaged the Champion.

This fight was only getting started after all.

(Woot! Invasion is getting underway! Hope you all enjoyed! Leave some friendly reviews letting me know what you think so far! And how do you like the newbies?!)


	21. Invasion of Mideen 3

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 19: Invasion of Mideen 3

(Minoru POV)

The group of Minoru, Izumi, Sarah, and Ninomiya charged towards the enemy ahead, the Champion. So far it was just them, but right now the Champion was isolated. That meant they could target it without interference from any Rabbits.

Ninomiya seemed shocked to see Minoru there, and Minoru could guess why. Given what had happened to Minoru, it was not that big of a surprise given that Ninomiya (who he was dating) knew about all of it unlike most others, but Minoru was an A-Rank in Border for a reason. Even if this was just like the invasion four and a half years ago, Minoru was not going to let that stop him. Especially given Minoru's desire to find his own sibling…after the loss of his parents.

Ninomiya gave Minoru another glare, and was about to say something when…

"Minoru, is it? Are you okay? You seem…troubled…"

Sarah ended up asking first, catching onto Minoru's feelings almost instantly.

 _How did she….wait, no. She probably doesn't know, its just because of her sociology/psychology knowledge. She is reading me…_

Minoru was caught off guard for a moment, but refocused as they continued forward.

"I am fine, more importantly how are we going to fight something that Jin and Miwa Squad could not?"

"Well, about that Minoru…"

"…why do I get the feeling its me face it heads on while you three attack it from a distance?"

At Izumi's foreboding words, Minoru stated what he expected Izumi to say.

"Yeah, pretty much. Me, Ninomiya, and Sarah will surround it and use Gimlet to attack from all sides, while you keep it busy and contained using your fighting style. Oh, and its already detected us so move fast!"

"Wait, what?! Seriously?!"

Minoru was then left all alone as the other three surrounded the Champion. It was going on a total rampage, but they managed to intercept it while it was alone. It seemed to be heading towards some bogged down Border agents that were already dealing with swarms of Trion Soldiers, so it would have been bad if they got sandwiched inbetween the two.

Minoru activated his Scorpions and let them spread throughout his body as he charged towards the Champion. It seemed bigger then the reports had originally stated, and as they had heard from Temba Squad who reported it, the Champions had a Trigger this time. In other words, they were even more dangerous.

The humanoid form of the Champion, with an appearance that one could not help but despise and find sickening especially with that human face warped in horror, pain, and rage, was certainly unpleasant. It was as if Minoru stared at…well, as he felt sometimes. Of course, it was impossible for the Champion to be mistaken as human. There was too much changed and deformed, too bulky in areas or disproportionate in others. But it was close enough to make people recognize it as having once been human, even if there were no real features to help identify them, and parts of it were wrapped in a trion casing to make it more bulky, those parts being like armor or something. It lacked any true form of elegancy, though with this one…there were differences from what they had been shown originally. Advancements maybe, or perhaps they were trying to perfect the appearance that others had. It certainly did resemble other Trion Soldiers, but they had a more…refined…outer appearance. Perhaps it was just too new to have it?

But, this humanoid shape gave Minoru an unexpected advantage. Minoru fought with Scorpions and his Trion body combined with his martial arts, but those martial arts were less effective on targets that were not humanoid. So to Minoru, his fighting style actually increased in effectiveness against humanoid targets. That meant, he could actually fight better against the Champion.

And so Minoru used one of his palm strike techniques with a Scorpion blade shooting out to strike it directly…

…but the Champion deflected it. Not using shields, or brute force, or any other Trion ability. It used a form of martial arts itself to deflect the blow, and then strike back against Minoru. Thankfully, this was not the first time in his martial arts experience for that to happen so he was able to recover and dodge, as he remembered to keep in an alert position to do so even when striking.

But that did not change that the Champion knew Martial Arts as well, and also counter attacked without any delay. Not even the standard human reaction delay, because it lacked free will or independence. It was a Trion Soldier after all. But, it was once a person. It was still enough of a person to use Triggers. And so that meant it could do complex and advanced actions, including Martial Arts.

"Gimlet!"

To cover Minoru, the three that finished getting into position all fired Gimlet at once on the Champion. And it was not in vain either, as there was damage being done. The issue was though, it was very small damage. Barely recognizable, and their first attack didn't even do what they could estimate as one percent of the damage needed. In other words, Izumi, Sarah, and Ninomiya would need to continuously use Gimlet for a long duration without letting the Champion out of their encirclement.

It meant to do any meaningful damage. Not defeat it, but just do damage that would matter, Minoru had to keep it busy alone for a long period of time. It was pointless to try and use Viper or Hound, if Gimlet which was a composite of two Asteroids, which held the highest damage and penetration, did this little, then if they used anything else and reduced the damage further no damage would be dealt to the Champion. They could only use Gimlet, and they would have to use it a lot.

And Minoru had to stay with this thing on his own for all that time. Worse, he had to be enough of a threat to keep it occupied.

The Champion returned the strike with its own, doing a legs sweep which was followed by an uppercut. Minoru managed to dodge both by leaping over and even struck the arms with Scorpion Blades coming out of his legs. But they were not normal Scorpion blades, but his own customized ones, and these were formed to actually be stronger then normal by having two normal blades wrap around each other. It used more Trion this way, but in exchange it was tougher and could do more damage. And yet…

"Scratches?"

Not just the Gimlets, but Minoru's own techniques only left small measly scratches on the Champion. Meanwhile, the Champion immediately came after him with an attack on the right an…

 _No, it's a feint! The left!_

Minoru realized in time that the movement of it's body, specifically the feet, was actually an intentional feint to trick Minoru to thinking an attack was on the right, but then instead came from the left. Minoru managed to realize it and dodge it in time, but…

"If it used a feint, then…it also recognized I have Martial Arts training. It is observing us, learning us…damnit, this thing really is creepy. And also…its not even taking us seriously yet".

There was no need to question why, none of them had forgotten that detail that they were keeping watch for. The Trigger the Champion had, that bracelet gauntlet thing that looked bulkier then Tora's Trigger, as it still had the other programs like Obedience, Punishment, and Tracking installed, had not been used once. In other words, the Champion was not even at full power and yet it was ignoring their attacks.

Minoru really did not like that thing, but maybe part of it was less of the usual reason for other people. To him, he was looking at this thing and he could see the pain, the rage, the fear it had been under. It's face could no longer move now, instead it looked like a perfect plaster mold of a face. It had no real individuality either, just a generic face that could be anyone's But that only made it worse in a way. And Minoru felt a bit like he was looking in a mirror because of all that.

Looking right into this thing, it gave him the feeling he was looking back into himself. Like it judged himself. Like it represented himself. Like it was familiar with himself. It was no wonder what he heard then…

A few days ago, Minoru had been wandering through the base after a match. He was just approaching a corner, but then he heard a voice. A faint voice, that clearly thought it was alone. But it was one he recognized.

"…all neighbors should definently die. Even if I want to kill them and even make them suffer, I am human enough to never do that to them…to turn anyone into that Champion thing…"

It was only for a moment, and it certainly did not hold any noticeable sympathy. But Minoru remembered that well because it was Miwa saying he would never go that far in his revenge against Neighbors. In other words, the Champion encountered had even affected Miwa to that degree.

There was no sympathy in his voice, and the anger was still there. It was clear from his tone he certainly did want to kill all Neighbors. But Miwa was still thinking about it and talking to himself about it. It was an impression that did not leave him. And now, Minoru understood why.

It was because inside that face, he realized he did not just see himself. He saw his little brother. They did abduct children for this after all, they abducted Tora. And Minoru's little brother would have been exactly, or at least close enough to the same age, as Tora to be someone they might have taken as well.

The Champion continued to attack, utilizing Martial Arts techniques with its already superior strength and speed. But Minoru was able to put his own martial arts abilities to use, and even managed to deflect some of its blows. But the more they fought, the faster the Champion seemed to analyze and learn from him, anticipate him, and even mirror him. And that just made it worse and worse, because he started seeing something more and more as he had to look into that face.

And this got Minoru just a bit more emotional. Minoru had quite a few problems since the first invasion. After all, his parents died and his little brother was abducted. He continued to push forward, and got to A-Rank on his own to search for his little brother, and even attended the latest Away mission. But there were emotional problems, depression and such, that he hid away so most did not know about. And even less knew about his more serious issues…

The issues that caused him to get emotional enough to slip up for a moment, and the Champion took advantage of that and went straight for a direct blow.

There was one person who did know though. Ninomiya. Although the two were not entirely sure who knew and did not know, and Minoru didn't really care either and he was pretty sure Ninomiya, with that confident attitude, didn't either, but they were actually together. Of course, in terms of who people wanted to be with, it was up to them and no one else should determine that, but humans were humans. But with Border and Mikodo City dealing with Neighbors, that outlet actually attracted most of the prejudice, so people tended to be very accepting and progressive towards other issues with Mikodo City.

But enough about that. It would probably shock a lot of people that Minoru and Ninomiya were together if they did not know already, but people were complex beings and so even if Ninomiya was normally critical and harsh, and outright cold, it did not mean that was the only parts to him.

"Meteora!"

He could care too.

The explosive shot hit the Champion and destabilized him, and the force also helped knock Minoru far enough away to get some distance. As for the source of the attack, Minoru heard from the voice that it was Ninomiya. He was kind enough not to say anything outloud, but Minoru could also understood why he used Meteora just now. The force knocked Minoru away so he avoided the hit, and distracted the Champion enough for the two to lock eyes for a moment.

Ninomiya knew Meteora alone would not be enough to damage it, he did that so Minoru got to take a breath, avoid the blow, and also to restore some sense to him.

It would buy a bit more time in this fight. But, it would not grant them success. Minoru already knew they would lose to this thing. After all, even if he dodged a blow, at some point during that blow or before while Minoru was distracted and getting overwhelmed, he got hit. His body was leaking Trion, but if he used a Scorpion to patch it, he would not be able to use Dual Twisted Scorpion Blades to damage it. And if he couldn't damage it, the Champion would disregard Minoru and go after the Shooters firing Gimlet at it. Shooters who after so many continuous Gimlet probably had depleted over half their Trion levels already.

"Kreeee kree!"

"Uh oh…games over…"

Unfortunately it seemed like it had decided to get serious as well, as the Champion activated it's Trigger. Several strange crystal things floated around it, and they began deploying shields at the last second to defend against Gimlet, and also return fire against the Shooters. And in each hand, it got a powerful blade that looked even stronger and more durable then a Kogetsu. In other words, it was planning to just wipe them all out now and be done with them.

At least it would be using a lot of Trion as it launched that attack. There was no way Minoru could even dodge, and the other shooters had to take care of themselves.

"Full Shields!"

"Full Shields!"

"Full Shields!"

"Full Shields! Who said you two could give up, Minoru? Ninomiya?"

And yet as it launched the attack, three unfamiliar voices and one familiar voice called out. It was Haruaki Azuma, and Bakaro Squad which had his younger brother Sora Azuma in it.

Although certainly each one of them had tried to protect themselves with Full Shield themselves to see how long they could hold out and see how much Trion they could make it use, Minoru and apparently Ninomiya as well had worried looks on their faces. With the addition of a Full Shields from each of the others that came to join them, it allowed them to take no damage from the attack because the Champion had held back to not waste any unnecessary Trion. A smart move, but Bakaro Squad and Azuma were able to save these four as a result.

At least, from the ranged attacks.

"Critical Damage Received! Bail Out!"

"Critical Damage Received! Bail Out!"

Although the Champion had taken out two Kogetsu like weapons that looked superior to actual kogetsu, it tricked Minoru into thinking he was the target for them. In truth, while they did defend against the ranged attacks, the Champion used the blades after keeping everyone busy with the ranged barrage to go after the people who were doing damage that were less likely to be able to dodge or block his attacks, the Shooters. As such, he went after Sarah and Izumi at random after the attacks. With a good portion of the defenses broken, even if they were reinforced by Bakaro Squad, it cut through the rest and even extended its blades just like Kogetsu can with the optional Trigger, allowing him to get them both with a single attack.

So while they gained four allies, they were all B-Rank (although older Azuma is really equal to A-Rank) and they lost Sarah, a B-Rank who could be said to be A-Rank material with her ability, and Izumi who was in the top A-Rank team. The number of allies went up, but there was no guarantee of victory still. No, if anything, they were not even certain if anyone who just came could even do damage against a Champion.

"Here, let me help! Restoration!"

But at least Sora was able to restore Minoru's Trion Body so he stopped leaking Trion, and could fight for longer. But against a Champion that was utilizing its Trigger, it probably would not be too long.

"Alright people, lets do this!"

And so to keep the Champion busy until more help came, or at least to drain it of as much Trion as possible, these six made their stand against them.

* * *

(Yuki POV)

As Jin and Tsukiko Squad finally managed to finish off the Trion Soldiers in their area, Yuki had noticed that Jin started to look more and more concerned.

"What is it?"

"Sorry, its just…although some really bad futures have been ruled out, some good ones have as well. Including a future where everyone escapes unharmed".

"I see…but, we still have a chance of some sort of good ending right?"

"Yeah, but…its getting more difficult. It seems that the Neighbors themselves have located and started focusing on Tora, and in about fifteen minutes the second Champion will finish off the people currently keeping it busy and directly charge Tora".

"That…is not good".

Jin shook his head, frowning. It seemed he was not quite happy with something, and while not limited to it, it did include Tsukiko's assessment.

"Although I dislike saying it, Tora's capture and abduction occur even in good endings. The bad endings involve Border taking severe damage. Or the transport ship being destroyed. Civilians getting caught up in the battle as it spills into the city more and more, or even the destruction of the base itself. If its just the abduction of Tora…well, there is still a small chance we can get him back. And unfortunately, a majority of the endings…they involve his abduction at the end".

Yuki and others of Tsukiko Squad could clearly see Jin's displeasure in the analysis, but they could also see the truth in it. Yet, by reading inbetween the lines it was essentially saying they would be better off abandoning Tora.

That was not something that they would accept. It was something they couldn't accept.

"Where is he? Where is Tora right now?"

"Relax, he hasn't been abandoned. From what I was told by my operator, it appears Konami, Midorikawa, and even Miwa are with him".

That last one raised some shock from the group, but they were too focused on what Jin said to let it affect them.

"But all of the human Neighbors are focusing on him! All of those people?!"

"I do find it strange that somehow they brought so many people here for this…"

"How many?!"

"At least two dozen, I think".

Hearing that two dozen Neighbors with Triggers, Colsaria Triggers, were targeting Tora, the squad's jaws dropped right to the ground.

"But its okay…because he almost never gets captured by the…look out!"

Suddenly, Jin got interrupted mid sentence by a surprise attack, but was just barely able to dodge it with the rest of Tsukiko Squad. It was a massive beam like attack which seemed to come out of nowhere. And somehow, it happened without Jin expecting it.

In fact, Jin, Suzu, and Take had taken some damage and were leaking Trion.

"That was unexpected…the odds of that happening were so low, I missed it. For luck to be so bad and it to happen…unless".

Jin looked up, and saw that a Trion Drone was there. Not the new Drone Trigger Border created recently either, it was a Neighbor Drone. Some sort of mix between an automated drone and a Trion Soldier. And the odds for it appearing there…

"I see now. That is tricky".

"What is it, Jin?"

Yuki asked this as they dodged a barrage of missiles and lasers as more Trion Drones arrived.

"The reason they spread people around like this was to isolate everyone from each other, to get outside my Foresight as much as possible, and strain it even. And they are not appearing themselves, but instead using Trion Drones. I can see the near future of any person in front of me, but I cannot see the future of Trion Soldiers or Drones. Most likely, they have some sort of ATS in control of the operation, which would also be hard for my Foresight to predict the future of, and are using specific stratagies and Trion Soldiers that would be difficult for me to predict to begin with, like a flying one that can move more three dimensionally. This entire set up is not just using randomizers, but also things that I cant predict or would be harder to predict. Just where did they learn so much about my Side Effect?"

Indeed, that was the even more dangerous question. How were they getting all this information? Furthermore, to deliberately use stratagies just to stop Jin was quite the achievement to succeed in.

And if an ATS was the one left in charge for running the operation, it was also true that Jin's Foresight would be even less effective. At least with Tsukiko Squad here, he was able to get something, but right now the drones were clearly trying to separate him as well as take him out.

Right now, there was a dangerously high chance they would succeed too. But to make it worse, now every future he did see…had them all unable to use Bail Out. And also their Operators could not be contacted.

"Tsukiko Squad! Can you contact your operator right now?!"

Jin knew it was unlikely, but he had to check. Their comms were probably already jammed, but there was a small possibility…

"No! We can't reach her!"

"Damn…"

"Well, we cant reach anyone anymore actually, but she left before you asked".

And that peaked Jin's interest.

"Oh…so that small possibility also happened…seems like things are going quite unexpectedly…"

* * *

(Mei POV)

Mei, the operator of Tsukiko Squad, was currently not at her station assisting her team. Well, in truth she could not anyways because the communications were down, but there was another issue she also had to deal with.

She had been hearing all about Jin's predictions, but also she kept hearing about how odd the choices that happened had been. And how they seemed to know so much about Jin's Side Effect. It was almost, no it was exactly, like it was an inside job.

And yet, it was also true not everything had gone perfectly for the enemy, and things had gone well for them. Temba Squad's defense, isolating Amo. In fact, everything around Temba Squad had gone perfectly somehow. If anything, that was the only place that had been optimal. The fact the base had survived, that Amo had isolated the Champion….or perhaps, that the Champion isolated Amo. The fact that the center of the communications, the Base, was still operational.

Of course, maybe it was not that at all…but actually something else.

Mei was not certain, she couldn't be certain it was the truth. But the fact she couldn't even be certain it was anywhere close to the truth was why she believed it. Because in terms of what was happening right now, what she was doing right now, there was a zero percent chance of it ever occurring.

The enemy had gone through quite an elaborate scheme in order to get around Jin's Foresight, and who knows what else they might have done. It was so subtle, Jin himself could not notice. But, it would explain everything. All the irregularities. And it would explain Temba Squad, because Temba Squad used the same method to successfully prank Jin. It was through different means, but because at the core it was the same they succeeded.

Mei activated a Trigger of her own, and walked into the central data core of the base. This place was linked to communications, databases, schedules, access codes. It was normally one of the most restricted and guarded places on the base, but the guards were currently busy fighting off the actual invasion. That meant only the workers would be there.

She entered through the doors, and looked around at all the workers, so far away from combat and Jin, as she remembered how Temba Squad pranked Jin…in other words, how they defeated Jin's foresight. A seemingly trivial fact and side story, but in truth it held the key to what has been going on. And so, she stepped further in.

"Umm, what are you doing here? Who are you? All agents using Triggers should be helping to fight the inva….ahh!"

Suddenly, Mei swung a Kogetsu right at the man and nearly cut him in half. The man was just barely able to react and dodge in time. Normally, Mei wouldn't even be in here, in fact there was no reason she should be here. But thankfully, there was another weaknesses of Foresight that the enemy had forgot to consider would help them as well. The fact that as Jin reacted to the future and tried to change it, the potential futures he would see would also shift and change, and how people reacted to his decision would also make them shift and change.

And there was a zero percent chance future of Mei coming into this room and randomly attacking the people who kept everything operational. And also…

"Hey, you. If you are a normal worker in a normal body…how did you dodge Kogetsu just now?"

Her question rang out for the whole room to hear. A normal person, who should be in a normal body, had just dodged Mei's Kogetsu.

Temba Squad might have been told things by Jin, but the truth was they were an oddball Squad that could not be predicted very well. Even though they listened to Jin, it was not like they did not have alternatives and backup plans. Of course, the point they defended was quite literally the only good point that the Trion Soldiers could invade from, but there was something else too.

Temba Squad was not communicating with other squads as much as normal squads would. Their operator reported that they succeeded in the operation, but the truth was that no one had ever broadcasted that plan in the first place. Individual Squads knew, but what they reported as common knowledge was unknown by many. That was because of something Temba Squad had decided long ago, and it was a truth many thought was a silly idea.

"Foresight is not god, and it is not invincible. And now with a pie in Jin's face, we proved it".

What Temba Squad had done to prank Jin was get a large number of off days, have each one of them equip Chameleon, and then for all those days remained out of Jin's sight and waited for him to be isolated in base with no one around. And then, without Jin ever having seen them once, they all united and smashed a pie while invisible into Jin's face.

Yes, so long as the people never made a strange move in Jin's sight, and avoided suspicion they could get around it. Jin could not predict what he could not see. And thanks to the abductions, how they were operated, and the randomness of it, Jin had been forced to patrol the area around the Forbidden Zone to find any hint. In other words, he had not been at base in a long time…enough for him not to have any idea about small stuff in the base.

Enough for him not to know the immediate futures of anyone in the base.

Especially if they belonged to people who, no offense to them and those like them, were background characters.

"Just as I thought. The Triggers the Champions use, I remembered hearing something about Tora also using a Trigger like them. And that in addition to normal combat functions, they had things like an obedience and punishment section. And if they can make Triggers that affect biology like that, then maybe…they have the ability to make then manipulate memories as well".

As she said that, the workers all suddenly found themselves panicking, only to then freeze in place before turning towards Mei in a robotic fashion. This was how they had all that data, this was how they knew about Jin's Side Effect. Jin had discussed the plans with Temba, Tenyru, and a few other squads privately along with Amo regarding isolating the First Champion. Temba, with their unpredictable nature, had gone radio silent on accident which let this fact miss them all. No one else bothered mentioning it until they saw a Champion, or heard the plan succeeded. And Amo also often operated on his own, so he rarely if ever communicated with people as well.

This was why, this explained everything. What succeeded and what hadn't. Why they had no idea where Tora was, as he was off duty today, but how they narrowed in on him so quickly after the vehicle was reported. This was why they enemy had learned how to jam their communications and Bail Outs, how they got information on everything and everyone. They could never make a specified move against Tora though because of the Foresight, unless they caused a lot of chaos to create hundreds and thousands of factors that Jin would have difficulty accounting for them all.

Each and every person here was someone who would only report information, never take any other action. All they would do is observe and report, likely whatever Trigger was secretly forced on them did that for them. They themselves probably never noticed, and those bodies were in some sort of un-enhanced human like mode until just now.

Jin could never predict this, because they would never take an action, make a move, or do anything suspicious. At least, none that anyone would ever see. Something impossible to learn with Foresight, especially if that person was kept away from base all this time.

And of course, this base should only have a few guards at the perimeter, and otherwise just operators and executives present except for those that bailed out.

Unfortunately for Colsaria, one of those operators was the Operator of Tsukiko Squad, Mei.

"Well then, lets get started shall we?"

(WOOT! Got sick, but now I am back with a chapter! Anyways, what do you guys think? How do you like what everyone is doing, and also how do you like the way they were collecting information secretly? Leave a review and let me know these things, and also, lets have a popularity poll too! Out of all my OCs, what are your top three favorites? (Temba Squad counts as a single OC for this, since I know the top three would just get filled up with their individual names by many). Hope you enjoyed, and keep reading!)


	22. Invasion of Mideen 4

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 20: Invasion of Mideen 4

(Mei POV)

Mei watched as the former engineers, managers, and support staff suddenly materialized weapons and other Trion based attacks that were clearly not designed by Border. Thanks to her Side Effect, and the weakness of Jin's side effect and any Foresight power in general, what was originally never going to happen had happened, and she had found the information leak.

It originally started because of something mundane an operator friend of hers had once mentioned to her, and then updated her systems to utilize. With Border's constant advancement, and the Neighbor's constant advancement, she considered that eventually something might malfunction or get disabled. This included communications and Bail Out Systems, both were primary and important systems for Border Agents to work together.

And it was thanks to that friend, and the small program always running in the sidelines, that she detected the deployment of a signal that would eventually grow to jam both. It did not come from the base though, but someplace out in the Forbidden Zone. And yet, for them to jam those specific functions and frequencies was suspicious.

Mei was already trying to figure out how they were getting that information, but given that it was never detected by security, Jin's Foresight, but seemed to constantly be giving the enemy new intel and more intel, it was something that had to be very specific and discreet. And then, Temba Squad's actions along with others that failed to report these plans tied it all together.

The fact that this plan worked, and not any others, was a critical clue. That this prediction, this operation, succeeded where all other teams were pressured and failing. Of course, the fact that it was the oddball goofball team of Temba Squad probably had something to do with it, but there had to be something else.

And that was how Mei came to this answer. All the factors fit together, everything worked, and it explained so much.

"Please...don't worry...these are Trion Bodies..."

One of them that still seemed to have willpower managed to speak.

"They somehow can keep the Trigger activated remotely, and these are designed more for efficiency...and long term use...if you destroy the Trion Bodies though, the Triggers will deactivate..."

"Good to know, thanks".

And yet suddenly, quite a number of them attacked at once. Their Trion bodies also seemed stronger and faster then the one Mei just tried to attack.

"They stopped...diverting Trion to memory manipulation..."

"That doesn't matter..." Mei said as she stepped forward, and suddenly with one arcing attack multiple of them were taken out at once. "...because I am stronger then all of you combined".

She turned around though, and saw a few that were operating terminals instead of attacking. Mei didn't bother to ask what was going on and what they were doing, she already could figure that out thanks to her Side Effect. So instead, she just decided to take them all out as quickly as she could. It did not take very long, not even a minute and they were all on the ground. Around their wrists was a Neighborhood Trigger like Tora's, only a bit bulkier and modified. Mei started to reach for it when...

"Right...I see...remote activation".

She pulled back, and cut them from a distance instead of touching them herself. As she did, an alarm went off.

"Alert! Alert! Base Perimeter Doors have been opened and disabled! Trion Soldiers are infiltrating the base!"

Mei immediately left to deal with it, but one of the scientists grabbed Mei's leg to stop her.

"Wait..."

"What? Is there more?"

"Yes...you see, they also got the doctor".

Mei knew how bad that could be. Especially since Tora had a medical checkup recently...if they did something...

"Tora..."

"No, not him. They were worried Jin would detect it and figure it out if they did anything to Tora...it was Jin they drugged during his latest medical exam".

"What?!"

"A compound...to slowly degenerate his Side Effect. Eventually his whole brain. It works extremely slowly...so that he would not detect it..."

And now, Mei discovered another factor they had implemented. It seemed that they had decided not to take Jin lightly at all, as they enacted all these plans to fight him and deal with his Side Effect. It was true that Jin could see the near future of anyone he looked at, but what they did...they used a drug that would go so slowly it would never be noticed until it was too late.

But right now, she had an issue to deal with. If Agents could not bail out, they could not escape the battlefield. But it also meant they could not return to HQ and help her defend it against the Trion Soldiers invading. Besides, given the state of thing, she needed to gather a lot of Trion anyways in addition to the fight. Her only hope would be if some talented people had somehow already got eliminated and was sent here before the jamming started.

Mei ran out of the room, and immediately ran right into two such people.

"Mei?!"

"Sarah...Izumi...I guess I got lucky".

"Mei! Communications seem to be down! None of us can contact the others!"

However, Mei just smiled at that and shook her head.

"Its okay, we are not totally in the dark. In fact, the two of you can help me with one...no, two things".

"What do you mean? We got a report of Tora getting heavily attacked by Champions, Shobu, Senzai, and Kazama Squads bogged down by numbers, and Bakaro Squad and a few other agents are about to get taken out by a Champion! Bail Out seems to be malfunctioning, and the base is under attack! Isn't this the worst possible situation?!"

Mei just smiled, and then she turned down the hall and began to walk. As the two turned and followed her, they saw the last person they expected to see.

"Because despite everything, _that person_ never really trusted Border from the start and made plans".

* * *

(Tora POV)

I was so in the zone, it had already started. Against all these vehicle type Triggers that we should have no chance in defeating, me, Shun, Konami, and Miwa had decided to hold our ground. And this time, I was pulling out all the stops. They might stay at range...but, I was not a pure attacker.

"Meteora!"

I created a Meteora cube in my off hand as I swung from one of the enemy's flying vehicles using Cyclone. I specifically aimed for their critical points, such as the engines and pilot's seat, and also sent cubes of Meteora to damage the drones behind me. Using the full power of my Spatial Awareness, I kept track of everything moving around me with help from my Trion enhanced senses, while I used Danger Sense to anticipate all attacks made on me.

On the ground, Shun and Konami were engaged in a full battle ground war, Konami tearing through the tank types. Miwa was using his abilities to also target the flying vehicle Triggers with me, though it was more like we were both attacking similar targets and less like we were working together.

As I swung, I released the Cyclone magnetism and flew right into another one of the gunships, cutting right through the protective glass looking window and then delivering an Asteroid strike at close range.

"Mimik!"

"It is still going to take some time".

"Overall situation?"

"Trion levels are not critical, but conservation of energy is still recommended".

"Understood!"

I lept from the vehicle crashing down and landed on top of a drone, attacking the other drones nearby. As I did this, down below Konami had both her weapons out and attacked with extreme vigor and ability, wrecking armored vehicle after armored vehicle relentlessly. SOmetimes, she would even cut down or knock away a ranged attack heading right towards her. As for Shun, he was covering her. He continuously attacked anything that tried to flank her or attack her when she was in the middle of an attack herself, and was also scoring kills at the same time.

And Miwa shot down another drone as all this went on. Right now, it was an all out brawl, but despite the enemy having numbers and using vehicles, we were in the lead. Additionally, electrical Trion was sparking all around me as I moved faster and faster, going past my own limits. This was me going at full power, completely letting loose. This electrical charge could really only build up if I got emotional or was in a battle for a long period of time, so it never showed up really in the B-Rank Wars. It was a result of the experiments done to me, and honestly I considered it to be mostly just special effects, but I learned to make use of it. I still had not mastered it though, but I was getting there.

It caused me to leave an aftertrail of Trion as I darted around, moving so fast sometimes all that was seen was the aftertrail.

"Meteora!"

And so I launched my explosive attack as I slashed at the wings of another gunship, taking out an engine. These things were actually really tough and dense, which was why I needed to get up close with the equally dense Cyclone and also weakened it with Meteora and Asteroid. However, these were weapons, vehicles I was familiar with. I had practiced with them before, with all sorts of weapons. It made me remember what Reiji had told me back when I was training. About how in truth, I was an All Rounder. Sniper Rifles just never really fit with my style so I didn't use them, but with my Trion levels I could use long range Shooter cubes as well. However, my preferred fighting style was best without Snipers.

Even though I had a good ability to run, a key factor of a Sniper. And when we got into vehicles, Reiji actually made a strange face there.

"If you can also use vehicle Triggers, then doesn't that make you the Perfect All Rounder?"

Such a thing was said to me. Me and Reiji don't talk that often though, and some people have been saying its because he is the tallest member of Border and I was probably the shortest. Well, it was true that I could use vehicle Triggers. Mideen's Control System was a bit strange, so if I got a vehicle Trigger here I would need to modify it for optimal use, but the performance of their vehicles that did not even include Trion originally seemed pretty good.

I certainly thought I should practice with them more, that was for sure.

"Asteroid!"

But right now, I focused on the battle with my three allies. After all, this was a battle where they were trying to capture me. Something I certainly did not want at all from the bottom of my heart.

I had to win, I couldn't lose. I would not go back! And I would not lose anyone!

"It looks like the runaway pup got cocky".

And then, I heard _his_ voice.

In retrospect, I should have known he would show up.

No, in fact I had already suspected he would show up deep down.

That research facility had us train with Triggers, Triggers with punishment and obedience protocols and other ways to control us. But there was always someone else there as well, just in case all that failed. Just in case we ever got out, if any of us ever got out.

I timed my escape attempt while he had been called away elsewhere.

Kranz was the leader, and the one who tortured me, but as one might be able to tell if one met him while he was in charge he did not inspire much fear. He was smart for sure, but he lacked that pure intimidation. He had his position and his father was the leader, but the air around him did not inspire true "pee in your pants if he even looks at you funny" fear that came with the strength needed to keep down a bunch of test subjects that were given weapons regularly after being tortured.

Although, he stopped as many suicide attempts as he did attacks.

After all, he was a Black Trigger user of Colsaria, Coba.

I didn't even see him yet, but I heard his bone chilling voice.

"Then maybe I should take away your precious playmates".

I immediately realized what this man who I could not even see was about to do, and turned around while in midair to warn them.

"Look…!"

As I shouted the first word, I saw a black shadow dart across the field that clearly targeted the first target. This man, this shadow of despair, moved through the battlefield fluidly and without calling any attention to himself, going towards what would be his first victim. The first person he would kill and take away from me, to hurt me. And in the second or two that felt like an eternity, I could not do anything to stop him where I was. He knew it too.

He would put me into despair as he plunged his shadowy blades into the first victim.

"Hm?"

"What?!"

But for once I lucked out because the first person he targeted was Konami.

"…out! He is Coba, a Black Trigger User of Colsaria!"

I finished my sentence as the two clashed. Blades that seemed to be made of shadow had come at Konami while she was in mid attack, yet she noticed them and even blocked them with her customized Triggers.

Somehow, without a Side Effect or special training or even the hellish training I was forced to go through, she blocked and even deflected his attack, and then also immediately counter attacked in a single motion. No wasted movement, no wasted Trion. And she pushed him back.

As expected, even though my Trion and Mobility levels exceeded the norm, among other stats thanks to my hellish training, there was no doubt in my mind. Despite everything, Konami was just that much better and stronger in battle. A true natural, unlike myself who was just subjected to unreasonable condition and hellish training that would make even the coldest of hearts sympathize with me.

And on this note, it was the first time I saw this man be pushed back. Coba, the Black Trigger User who was someone that induced fear into all of us, was pushed back.

Not only that, but Konami kept charging toward him and attacking, not letting him get a hit off. He moved around her to strike, but she dodged and attacked not just him but his Trigger. He had several of these bladed shadows striking towards her, and the attacks were unending and relentless.

But Konami dove through them all and struck at both his weapons and himself, as she managed to "break" a few of the shadows and nearly got him as well. It was truly a battle that fascinated me.

 _So even he can be pushed back and fought like that…Colsaria can be fought and pushed back even with their ace out._

I had my own little revelation as I watched the battle while cleaning up the rest of the forces.

As one should expect though of a Colsaria Black Trigger User, although Konami had pushed him back he was not out yet. She caught him off guard, but that was not the end of things. After all, his Trion Level had been inflated greatly thanks to the advancements of Colsaria. While I was given artificial Trion Glands to give myself a total of three, he had undergone the daily conditionings they give to the warriors they select at a young age. Every year, everyone who has grown to be seven years old undergoes a competition using Triggers and Trion. They take those that are the best of the best to become their warriors, those with the highest potential.

And this man, Coba, was the first place winner of his year. He was strong enough to claim the Black Trigger Shovelen, and possessed great ability in terms of power and fighting. He was given daily boosters since he was seven to increase his Trion levels, his strength, his speed. This went on for at least twenty years, and now his abilities were top notch. They probably exceeded all of them. Even Tora's treatments and operations, although they helped quicken the gap, would not get him at this man's level.

If one went by Border Briefing File Evaluations, this would be Coba:

Trion – 45

Attack – 20

Defense/Support – 10

Mobility – 15

Skill – 29

Range – 19

Command – 8

Special Tactics – 18

Total – 164

For the record, although these can be very helpful just because one has a higher number does not always mean they will win. One has to factor in compatibility between fighting styles. Side Effects can also have a role, and Coba has one. To be exact though, it was given to him artificially after receiving the Black Trigger, a Side Effect produced by Colsaria. It was a bit strange, but this Side Effect…it made it difficult for others to focus on him.

Its why he could run through a battlefield or whisper into my ear without me even being aware he was there before. It is also why he was surprised when Konami successfully noticed him even though she was in the middle of attacking another target, and how she is managing to stay focused on him. I did not know how his Side Effect worked exactly, but because of it several escape attempts failed as no one noticed he was actually standing in the same room as them.

And if one wanted to know for reference, this was my Border Briefing File:

Trion – 32

Attack – 14

Defense/Support – 3

Mobility – 17

Skill – 14

Range – 11

Command – 3

Special Tactics – 9

Total – 103

Of course, most of that power was not naturally developed but artificially created, and I lacked the experience of others having gained their power through hard work so while those were the base stats, it certainly didn't quite show yet. For example, if I fought against Tachikawa who also had a 14 in Attack, even though I was actually superior in terms of all my stats, I did not doubt I would lose to him. Konami as well was someone I would lose to, and she was about half of my total in the Border Briefing Files.

In other words, the stats could be used as a refence, but not as a guarantee of who would beat who. I learned though the brutal, hellish experiments and training I was forced to undergo just how battles are not so two dimensional, but truthfully had a huge three dimensional shape.

Actually, despite all of my enhancements there were still plenty of people in Border with higher stats then me as well as possessing more experience. Jin, with his Fujin, has higher stats then me overall with 120 total, and Amo only had a normal Trigger listed as 54 could level entire cities with his Black Trigger. Actually, if the files were to be believed, Jin outranked my Trion level with his Black Trigger stats.

Anyways, that is getting off point. The point is, despite these stats Konami had managed to push him back a bit and managed to stay on the offensive. Coba was superior to me in everything but mobility, and he had experience, but Konami had the ability to push him back. He was…he was…

He exploded in a huge amount of shadowy spikes, which attacked not just Konami but also Shun and even Miwa who were further away. Because I was still in the air I was well out of range, but I saw it all happen. Konami, Shun, Miwa. All three had their Trion bodies destroyed…but then, as the attacks receeded instead of Bailing Out it malfunctioned somehow and they just returned to normal. But all three were taken out in a moment.

It was just as I had started to suspect. But even if I suspected and realized it at that point, it did not change a thing because it already succeeded. He got my hopes up, he let them get raised up…he lured us all in, and then he attacked and destroyed it.

He had been playing with my emotions just to hurt me that way.

The other Neighbors seemed to back off as I landed on the ground, and looked him right in the eyes.

"Well now, that's unexpected. There is still a fire in your eyes".

He made an observation as I took a step forward. This was an opponent superior to me in every way. IN terms of experience, in terms of power, in terms of ability.

"That is because I have grown as a person".

As he watched my response, he frowned for a moment…and then bowed to me with an apology.

"I am sorry. I called you a pup before, but that was wrong. It seems you have finally grown into a splendid warrior. That was disrespectful of me…" he said that, but then returned to his battle stance. "However, even so you know I cannot abandon my mission. I am a citizen of Colsaria after all, and I have orders to complete".

This man, who had done all that to toy with my emotions earlier, now spoke of honor and respect if only for a moment. I was not sure if this was an act or not, if he was trying to throw me off guard or if this was his honest opinion. It was hard to say, especially with his Black Trigger. Supposedly, the reason Colsaria only lets those who prove they are among the strongest wield it is because it has a negative effect on the mind. In other words, not only do you need a strong body but also a strong mind to wield Shovelen. I heard a rumor that it can break the minds of lesser people, and that to begin with it only accepts those among the strongest physically.

So this odd personality glitch could very well be involved with his Black Trigger, and not a trick. But, something about it did feel honest. He fought sneakily, but…he showed enough respect to recognize my growth.

"Well then, I guess I will just have to be strong enough to overcome those orders".

As Konami, Miwa, and Shun finished getting clear he just shook his head.

"Alone? You don't stand a chance. Besides, the Champion will be here soon enough. But I want to see if I can beat you before it gets here!"

As his words rang into my eye and he charged me full of vigor and viciousness, I took a step back as countless mines armed themselves under his feet and detonated. He managed to protect himself using his Shadows, but then got hammered into further by three Ibis shots.

"Too bad for you Tora-kun is not alone!"

A familiar voice spoke out from the origin of those attacks. And it was followed by two identical voices synced together.

"Because in Border, we all fight together! So if you want him, you gotta get through many others like us, Temba Squad!"

The three powerful Ibis shots had broken his defenses, but unfortunately he seemed to avoid taking a direct hit from any of the three Ibis shots. However, he did take some damage and now Coba's body was leaking Trion. This marked another first, the first time I saw Coba's body take damage.

I clenched my fists as I couldn't help but spread a massive grin across my face from the joy I felt in those words. And yet…

"Do you really think that will be enough? Even if you keep me occupied, eventually the Champion will finish off the ones facing it and come here to deal with you all".

"About the Champion…."

"…we are not too concerned about…"

"…something like that".

Those words caught the attention of everyone, including Coba, as they spoke with such confidence. What single person could possibly deal with a Champion? Jin? Amo? Who?

But when Temba Squad answered, it suddenly became a lot more clear to me.

* * *

(Azuma POV)

"It looks like the Bail Out System has stopped working…that is no good. You okay, Minoru?"

"Owwwwww….I guess this is it?"

The six of them, Azuma, Ninomiya, Minoru, and Bakaro Squad, all had their Trion Forms broken and were scattered around the battlefield. Bail Out had stopped working, comms were down, and the Champion was still standing. It had some damage on it, but not enough to be considered significant.

And now, the Champion was about to finish them all off for good. This was the end for all of them…

And yet along with a sudden burst of overwhelming fire that had to come from an entire squad, a single voice cried out.

"Full Arms!"

It was not a full Squad, but someone who could be said to be even better. It was Reiji Kizaki, the leader of Border's Most Powerful Squad.

The surprise and unrelenting attack on the Champion caught it off guard and drew it's attention away from the others. But what might be an even more important revelation was even though his guns should be shooting normal Asteroid rounds, they had to have the same power as Gimlet as he managed to damage the Champion with his attacks, if only slightly.

"Thanks for holding out as long as you could guys, gave me time to set up. I will be taking it from here".

Misaki smiled as she heard that, breathing deeply from exhaustion.

"Thanks Reiji-san. Have fun, he is a tough one!"

And so, Border's Perfect All Rounder Reiji engaged a Champion on his own.

* * *

Chapter's Question: How do you like the character development so far, and what do you think of Colsaria so far? And how did you like the revelation of how they got around Jin's Side Effect and were gathering information?

* * *

(I hope you enjoyed! Anyways, please remember to favorite and follow if you do! I really wish more people would answer the questions though, I love feedback and conversation! So please, if you read the chapter, leave a review telling me what you think!)


	23. Invasion of Mideen 5

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 21: Invasion Arc 5

(Kranz POV)

"Just…what the hell is that woman? All the combatants were supposed to be out…how did she figure it out, and…even if they were not really designed for combat, how did she take them all out on her own…and so easily…? Not to mention, this man…and these people…just what the hell is with Mideen?"

Back in the Savair, the ship that the Colsaria invaders had decided to use for their invasion, Kranz was observing the state of the battle and all the pieces that were in play. Among those pieces were their vehicles that Tora and his allies had been taking out, as well as the Champions and the Black Trigger Users that came with them. Two Champions, and two Black Trigger Users.

He had been watching Border's Troops as well. The way Temba Squad fought and acted, and caused so much damage to their forces that had ended up breaking their assault on the base. They meant to do actual damage, but mainly they wanted to try and divide their forces and attention even further, and maybe even capture a few of the high quality ones as Research Subjects. There were also the Squads who were facing hordes of the other types of Trion Soldiers, including the Rabbits they had acquired recently and had been working on. At first, they managed to make Rabbits that were weaker but could regenerate, but lately they had managed to return them to their original strength and even made some special but costly varients. The warriors of Mideen truly did have some people worth capturing. Maybe he would even make them into new Champions. And speaking of them…

One Champion was currently somehow isolated by surprise despite the information tap having no indication of this, and was now somehow being preoccupied by a single individual, who Kranz was sure to be a Black Trigger user. Even so, a Champion being held down by a single person even if that person was a Black Trigger User was shocking. For a moment, Kranz considered the idea that this was someone who was the equivalent to Viza…no, he even shuddered for a moment when he thought for a moment it was Viza himself.

The other Champion had taken some damage, but it took eight people to do all that damage and they had all been taken out. Now, it was supposed to go meet up with Coba to capture Tora. And yet before it could finish off the agents who now had lost the ability to Bail Out, it had been stopped and damaged by a single individual. Of course, Kranz had gotten information on many if not all of the agents. Reiji Kizaki, supposedly Border's Perfect All Rounder and the leader of what was said to be Border's Strongest Team. One of the members of that team had even managed to inflict some damage onto a Champion, though that was when it did not have the Trigger to go with it and it was from a surprise attack.

Still, that single individual had managed to damage it alone without those strange composite shots the other used and was currently keeping it busy, that was something that surprised Kranz. Additionally he seemed to be using a Trigger that differentiated from the information they collected on Border's Normal Triggers. Mideen had truly developed some good warriors. However, in the end they lacked the enhancements each Colsaria Soldier had. He fully believed that even Reiji would be unable to defeat a Champion, even one that was somewhat damaged, on his own.

And then, there were the two Black Trigger Users. The first was someone who had been assigned to the lab for the most part already, Coba. He was the user of Shovelen, and had managed to withstand its price rather well. Kranz had sent Coba to strike terror into Tora, but as he watched the video feed on the screen his expectations were overturned.

Tora's face was not twisted in fear, but determination. Passion. And perhaps even…joy.

"That boy…that experiment…how the hell has his personality changed so much and so fast?"

Kranz was not an expect in psychology, but he could clearly see Tora's growth as abnormal. It had been a month, no not even quite a month yet, since Tora's escape. After everything that had been done to him, after they first uncaringly let him be broken by the experiments and then later intentionally broke them to absolutely make sure to eliminate any resistance or free will from them. They never really went out of their way, but what they had done should have absolutely destroyed Tora's rationality, his ability to reason, his humanity itself.

The person that Kranz was looking at on the screen showed mental recovery that would be unbelievable to think of as the test subject that Kranz had denied any human decency or rights to.

He had no idea of just the extreme methods Sarah had employed. Although certainly she also did it because she was mischievous and wanted to tease and embarrass Tora, she had also therefore used methods far too extreme for any real doctor to ever employ. Of course it was all just innocent and playful, but even so her methods had not followed the normal common sense others would use.

It was not just Sarah either. Sarah Williams forced him to open up, and start to show his true self. But there were others. Daisuke Shinya supported him, and even protected him. He acted like a father, or a big brother, to Tora. And Shun Midorikawa gave him a friend, someone who saw him not as a victim but a kindred spirit. Someone who did not pity him, but respected and stood beside him.

But there were more then that. Konami recognized his ability and helped him hone his talent. Rindo gave him the chance to be his own person, and follow the path Tora had chosen. Jin provided him with options and possibilities, and Yumi provided him with an optimistic outlook…and karaoke.

And now others as well, such as Temba Squad, gave him friends and allies.

Tora was still that scared little kid, who suffered from trauma and fear that gave him PTSD. Someone who ran away, and was selfish. Who instead of helping his fellow test subjects, escaped on his own with that ATS. Who was weak, inexperienced, broken.

Kranz could see all of that, but he could also see that he had changed. He had not run away like Coba and Kranz predicted. His eyes…Tora was still afraid, but he was not running away. He was being selfish, but also helping others. Instead of survivors guilt, he found a purpose. And they could see it on his face, that instead of hiding what he was, who he was, and both what he had done and what had happened to him, he had accepted it and was taking responsibility for it.

The last part sent a chill down Kranz's spine. He was not conscious of it, at least not completely, but he had just compared Tora to the whole science team, to everyone who worked at the facility. They had hidden the scars inflicted on Tora, hidden what they had done, instead of taking responsibility for it. So while Kranz was not consciously aware of that, he did feel that right now this was Tora proving he was superior to them…and spat right in their face.

And more then that, Kranz finally felt it. He was afraid of Tora.

Kranz quickly looked towards the data on the other Black Trigger User Danton Hayr, and opened a comm channel.

"Change in plans! Join up with Coba, and deal with the brat now!"

"That might be a bit difficult".

"What do you mean?! Just do it, there is only a single squad of agents near you! Use your Black Trigger, take them all out, and get to Coba!"

"But these people, they are not normal! They are fighting completely outside the norm!"

"What do you mean?! Who the hell could actually give a Colsaria Black Trigger User trouble?!"

"…"

As Kranz heard no response but just sounds of battle, Kranz pulled up a video feed of where Danton was. He was not quite as powerful as Coba, but he should still be more then capable of fighting against even A-Rank Teams.

But when he saw the squad responsible, he also recognized one of the people who were there. The girl that was one of the first to fight alongside Tora, Yumi Subaru of Subaru Squad. The recently promoted A-Rank team of Border.

And along with them was the final member of Border's Strongest Team, Karasuwa.

Even though they had isolated, weakened, and got past Jin and his troublesome Side Effect, there were still those that gave them trouble. Just like Temba Squad had.

He viewed some other minor cases once more, such as the forces keeping Jin and Tsukiko Squad from getting involved. Tsukiko Squad was an added bonus, but it also meant he had to be more careful. But he absolutely could not permit even a chance of them being able to make it to the others. So long as no future existed where a member of Tsukiko Squad joined the battle, Kranz figured Jin would not be able to use his Side Effect to do anything about it.

There were plenty of other squads running around, but Kranz had released various Trion Soldiers around the populated areas using the Conversion Method, where he turned the civilians themselves into Trion Soldiers, to keep them busy. This was why many Border Teams were not able to play a main role in combat. They were forced to deal with the rampaging strays, without harming the civilians. It divided them even further.

However, despite this there were still people that had taken annoying positions.

He brought up all four main battle scenes, and then picked up his own Trigger.

"It looks like I need to personally intervene now".

* * *

(Yuki POV)

"Is it me, or does it anyone get the impression we just got written off and sidelined?"

Yuki had this strange impression that despite having some fairly good moments so far with the latest center of attention, Williams Squad AKA Tamakoma-2, they had just been sidelined during this fight.

"Is that really important?! Keep shooting, there are still over two dozen of those damn drones yet and they seemed ot be equipped with Trion miniguns and rocket launchers and such! We wont be able to get any action at this rate!"

Suzu yelled back at him as she fired off more shots.

"I think what we are doing now is pretty important. We are preventing this huge swarm of drones from attacking anyone else right?"

Toby added in his own notes, shrugging. But Yuki just sighed.

"Yeah, but…how are we going to turn this fight into an epic story to tell later? Sure, we had that part at the beginning, but…now we are just hiding behind cover and slowly doing damage and taking out these floating heavily equipped tanks?"

It was certainly true that this was not really a situation that could be described as an epic battle. It was more like prolonged trench warfare. Not really glamorous in terms of thrilling epic battles, but this was not some anime that could skip this part.

"I don't know, we could phrase it as some sort of epic holdout against overwhelming forces, redeem some of this right?"

"Maybe if it was more foot soldiers, and if we could have our attackers do more, but the drones keep flying around in the air outside of the range for any attackers, and we cant teleport onto them…"

Actually, Tsukiko Squad had already tried to use their signature Teleport on them, but the drones were continuously moving so fast they got shaken off. They could try doing long distance teleport to escape, but that meant abandoning Jin who did not have Teleport. Even Jin with his Fujin would get destroyed. And also, one of their own was also unable to use teleport.

That was Take, who had his Trion form destroyed. In the initial attack, although a few got injured one ended up coming from the other direction before Jin could warn them and directly hit Take before he could get into cover. This was extremely bad since it got rid of one of their ranged attackers.

"Would have been better if Toby got hit".

"Yeah, it would have".

"Agreed".

"Hey!"

"Not our fault you only use Scorpions!"

"it works for me!"

"Not in this situation!"

As retorts and comments were thrown around, the battle raged on with Tsukiko Squad having that kind of attitude. Originally, they were a bit more worried about how most futures ended with Tora's abduction. However…the entire squad heard words from Yuki, their treasured captain, that turned their attitudes around.

"Tora will be fine".

He said that single line in a way that held no doubt.

* * *

(Tora POV)

In terms of ability, power, and experience, Coba had me beat across the board. Coba was stronger then me, had more Trion then me, had more experience then me, and he also had a Black Trigger. Even with Temba Squad's help, this wasn't a battle I could win.

Or at least, that should be the case.

"What?"

And yet, I continuously moved around faster then his eyes could perceive, and struck him with lightning infused kicks, Cyclone cuts to the back, and Scorpion shoot outs. Even with the aftertrail I created, it actually only made it harder for him to figure out where I was. The light would catch his eye and direct his gaze to where I no longer was.

After all, there was one thing I did beat him in. A single category that I beat him in. Even though I couldn't outsmart him, and couldn't outpower him, I could out maneuver him.

I was faster then him.

Back in the Neighborhood, in Colsaria, I used a Trigger that focused on generating weapons and effects, that let me build all sorts of attacks. Actually, it could produce shields too but I lacked any good ability in defense or support for some reason. But, in Border…I was finally able to focus on my strongest aspect other then my Trion. And that was my speed.

Cyclone was light and easy to use, good for fast strikes. Grasshopper also increased my speed and ability.

But it was more then that. I was aware how corny it would sound, but there was another factor that increased my ability. Friendship.

While I was aware of how corny it was, because I finally had something I wanted to protect that was not myself, when I got into such an emotional and adrenaline filled state even in my Trion body I became stronger, the limiter in my head being released.

Apparently, this was actually a documented occurance in society, such as mothers lifting up a car to rescue their baby that was underneath.

So yes, it sounded corny. But there was science and documentation that proved it was real.

That was why, I moved even faster then I could usually. And so that was my plan.

Even so, he was one of the greatest warriors of Colsaria for a reason. He had so far managed to avoid any attack I made that would take him out. But thanks to the trickiness of Scorpion, and my speed…I had gotten hits off on him.

Right now, he was leaking Trion.

I could hit him.

I could dodge him.

And I was not a damn fool.

I immediately shot away when he used that same spike explosion before from his body, with all those black spikes that seemed to be created from smoke. I managed to get good distance, and then avoid each and every single one.

"Well now…you really have grown. Back before, when ten of you once managed to group together to try and take me down not a single one of you landed a hit. Now, you can do it all on your own. But, you seem to be getting quite exhausted also, am I right?"

 _Damnit, he noticed…_

Indeed, between the vehicle before and everything I was dealing with currently, my Trion was far from being full. And yet, I was still certain I could hold my own. Although he had a huge supply of Trion, he was actively leaking it while I wasn't. If this became a battle of endurance, I could win easily now. The issue was that despite everything, I still could not lower my guard against this man.

"Brilliant".

But what he said sounded like praise or admiration.

"Before, you and everyone else were so dead, you lacked any indication of self. Even when you got angry, it never felt truly real and your lightning was always so dull. But look at you right now, your body is sparking so brilliantly. Much brighter then ever before…man, its been too long since I had a good fight with a real warrior".

I could not help but become concerned now. That was because now, this man had entered a battle junkie mode. I had overheard once about Shovelen, about its effect on the mind. Although I always considered it might be a trick, or just his personality, it was said to have odd effects on someone's mind. I had seen several sides of this man as a result. The cold hearted assassin that toyed with people. The honorable warrior who liked to dual. And of course, the Battle Junkie. That one might just be the most problematic.

He immediately charged with an overexcited grin on his face. I was still able to dodge and then get behind him, but…he was not quite faster, yet he somehow anticipated me better. As such, he had managed to already turn around and beat his fist into my chest. I was sent sprawling backwards into a building, but I managed to get on my feet quickly and kept moving around.

But he seemed to anticipate my movements and moved in front of me as several daggers came in from behind. I could sense it, but I was not sure I could dodge it.

But then again, I was never alone from the start.

I was suddenly teleported away, to the top of a building as dozens of mines activated where I just was. Immediately after, from three separate locations Ibis shots went off and also hit him. He had gotten so pre-occupied with me as an opponent, and my growth had amazed him so much, not to mention the light trail I left around him, it let Temba Squad have the time they needed to set up.

And now….

"The hell…from three other directions?!"

From three spots completely different from where they shot the Ibis from, Sentry Turrets and Defense Turrets open fired upon him shredding him to pieces along with their Ibis shots. Yes, I could fight alone. But that did not mean I had to. Not anymore.

The barrage from Temba Squad was severe and deadly. Although one might use defenses to create a perimeter, this was where it was seriously powerful. All that firepower had been set up around this street, this clearing. And so instead of acting as a perimeter, instead it came a prison. Coba was being shot at from all sides, and furthermore…

"Hey, Coba".

The man…the Black Trigger User…turned to look at me as his Trion body got pierced by so many attacks.

"Tell the others to hold on. Because I will be coming for them next".

As he heard those words, he let loose a bit of a smile.

"See ya there".

And then as the last attack was dealt, Coba's Trion Body shattered. And yet at the same time, a weird warp effect happened and he disappeared.

"Where did he go?"

"They attach recall devices to Colsaria Black Triggers and their users. That way they cant get stolen away…or run away with them".

I began to take a step forward when…

"KREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

I heard it again. The Champion. And it sounded like it was closer.

It sounded like it was winning.

* * *

(Reiji POV)

"Tsk. How annoying".

Kranz said that as he desummoned a strange staff. On the ground was a collapsed Reiji, and nearby was a Champion. However, the Champion had sustained some damage that could not be called insignificant. If anything, the fact Reiji did that all alone once again proved his ability.

And he would have done more, if Kranz had not attacked him from behind. Reiji had sniped the Champion, blew it up with traps, blasted it with powerful trion bullets, and done all manner of other things. It was hard to comprehend how one person did all this for Kranz, but Reiji had.

"I guess we should…"

"Kranz! This is ops, we have a critical alert!"

"What?"

"The subject alongside Border Agents took out Coba!"

"What?!"

Hearing that Coba got taken out, Reiji saw Kranz go into shock. Even though he was done, he was not out. However, as he continued to listen.

"How did those brats even find Tora?! They were all the way across the Forbidden Zone! Communications are jammed, we made sure of that!"

Kranz immediately looked back at the Champion, and then narrowed his eyes. Reiji just listened to all of this without making a sound.

"Very well, since we are cleared up here…Dalton, keep those others busy. Me and the Champion will go and deal with Tora ourselves. We will finish the objective ourselves. Prep any remaining Triggers for support though, in case there are any other surprises".

"Understood".

(Mei POV)

"Alright, its time to fi…huh?"

"Oh, hey Mei".

"…Tachikawa…"

As Mei, Izumi and Sarah all came in, looking a bit pale of lower Trion but still ready to fight, they found the breach for certain. However, all the Trion Soldiers had been destroyed and only Tachikawa stood there.

"Well look at it this way, this makes the next part of the plan easier right?"

"Yeah. So long as we still have enough people remaining".

As Mei said this, someone really unexpected showed up from the tunnel they had been pouring in from. It was Shinoda, in Trigger form.

"Don't worry, I got the message too. I will also be supporting this".

"Oh wow…with this number, it should be enough".

* * *

(Tora POV)

I watched as the two of them appeared before us, threatening and dangerous. Almost at the same time, a gunship flew overhead and bombed the entire location. Probably to remove the traps Temba Squad put up, and maybe even eliminate them as well.

Kranz and the Champion. They stood facing me, down the street.

"I admit that with help, you managed to defeat Coba this time. But you don't think that will end up the same here right? A Champion is beyond your ability, and it is beyond the ability of those boys you have helping you. Yes, I know just what to do. I wont just capture you, I will capture all of them. Then I will bring you all back, have you stripped down completely and beaten to the point of near death in front of everyone, and crush even the smallest trace of hope".

I knew that I could not win this alone either. I needed more time, more help from the others.

"You really think so?~"

I spoke in a cocky and doubtful tone, with enough emphasis to really tick him off and get him going.

"You little…yeah, I do! Despite your idiocy, there is no escape for you!"

As he said that, two Rabbits came from inside buildings on either side to surround me.

"We have more searching for your three friends. They cant hide forever, Trion Soldiers are good at sniffing out high amounts of Trion after all".

"Ehhhhhhh~"

"What the hell is with that attitude?!"

"Well its just, you claim to be so amazing….but you sure had to sneak around a lot didn't you? And hasn't your so called Champion fled in every battle?"

Kranz was noticeably getting more and more irritated.

"Fine then, you want to play like that? We will only take you four, here and now, and call of the entire rest of the invasion…but, not only do you have to deactivate your Trigger, but you have to strip down. Naked. Right now".

"What for? Don't tell me you were a pervert this whole time too, locking my naked body onto that table was some kind of fetish?~"

"…fuck you! Don't act coy! I have no doubt you have hidden spare Triggers on your body, inside your clothes! That is what this is about! Start now, or I will have the Rabbits attack the three over there not in Trion bodies!"

As he pointed to them, Shun just looked a bit confused.

"Seriously? Does he really want Tora to get naked in the middle of the street for an outlandish idea like that? What is this guy's probably, Konami-sem…pai?"

When Shun turned towards Konami, she was looking away.

"Actually, Tora does have spare Triggers aside from his Neighborhood Trigger. He has an anklestrap for one on his right leg, a leg strap for one on his left leg, one in his left back pocket. He also has one sewn into his favorite hat, and Sarah actually added a little something to the collar she made him wear. So…yeah".

"…wow…"

While that was going on, I was still facing Kranz. I ended up making a duck dace to mock him.

"You tell the silliest lies~"

"Oh shut up you!"

I had him on edge, talkative and angry. This was good. Every additional second I got was more time.

And yet, it appeared at that point he seemed to snap and come to a revelation all at once.

"You bastard…you are just buying for time! Champion, get…"

At that point, it felt like time was slowed down to a half as those words began to come out. But, it was not what drew everyone's attention.

No, that was Mimik appearing from my Trigger in the middle of the battlefield surprising everyone. And I knew why.

"it's showtime! Do it, Mimik!"

"Mass Trion Collection beginning!"

* * *

(Way too many POVs to do separately POV)

"There!"

"Got it!"

"Here ya go!"

"Do your best, Tora-kun".

"All the Trion I can spare".

Mei looked at the one who had surprised Sarah and Izumi with a smile, the miniature Mimik.

Near Reiji and the others near him, in every member of Temba Squad, with Mei, really deeply tucked inside Amo's ear, next to Shun and Konami, with Director Shinoda, with the Shobu Ninja Squad, with Senzai Squad, and a few others, were also miniature Mimiks.

This was how everyone was communicating even though communications had been jammed. It only applied to Border communications. Mimik could still communicate with all of his copies he made ahead of time.

And Mimik could also transfer Trion between himself and the copies. The reason Tora seemed to run low on Trion before too, Mimik was actually taking half of the Trion his body produced naturally for their plan. He had been doing this the whole time, with everyone he had connected to when possible. Even when back in the vehicle, Tora asked about Trion levels, they were not talking about the Trion supply for the car or for themselves, but what Mimik had been building this whole time.

* * *

(Tora POV)

Suddenly, beams of Trion energy came flying from all across the Forbidden Zone and entered Mimik and my Trigger, supercharging them both.

(You should probably start playing Followers by Man With A Mission here)

"Now, Mimik! Do it!"

I yelled that as I broke out into a full run. At the same time, Mimik shot out some strange orb at high speed and it launched well far ahead, and away from anyone and anything else.

It suddenly seemed to turn into a gate, and I was running right for it. I remembered what I had told Coba. I had decided, I will rescue them as well. And so I kept running.

"He is making a run for it! Quickly, stop him!"

(If you are reading this and picturing it the way it works in my head, the lyrics would start around here).

Suddenly, the gunships fired a huge barrage of missiles to stop me. I jumped off the street and ran on the side of the building, but they still fired missiles.

Kranz suddenly took out his staff and various Trion Cubes were created and shot at me.

* * *

(Jin POV)

"Well…what do you know…the future just shifted rather dramatically. I know I don't always see everything, but this…this is quite the rewrite for me not to see".

* * *

(Tora POV)

I kept running, dodging and jumping from building to building. The gate was a bit far away, but it could not be helped. Normally gates were pointless to target, so if they realized it was not a normal gate or if it got hit accidentally before it was done…well…

TO try and take out those factors, I fired a huge amount of Meteora and then followed it up with a heavy Asteroid strike. I landed back on the ground, and kept running.

"Champion, stop him!"

The Champion suddenly stepped forward to chase me. He was probably faster then me, and certainly stronger then me. And honestly, I was not in top condition so it would be bad if I fought him right now. However…

The ground then exploded right under the Champion, which made it lose its footing and fall into the abyss of the sewers.

"You seem to have forgotten Temba Squad are trap specialists!"

Temba Squad said that as they high fived each other in the distance, and then each one took out a switchbox. They all began operating it, and each time the Champion tried to climb out of the hole they detonated more mines and kept it inside.

I kept running and running, tears running down my face. If it was running, I did not need my Trion Body. Although my Trion body's strength was increased, my speed was exactly the same in my normal body or Trion body as my normal body was Trion Infused. I was determined to never be captured, so I decided to save on Trion for now. A certain song was actually floating in my head right then and there.

Several Rabbits suddenly made an appearance, to stop me from getting through. The Champion would only be held off by Temba Squad for so long, so I did not have the time to deal with them.

"Hey, its my turn to meet Tora-kun. We have not met face to face yet".

And yet in a moment of martial arts, those words were said by a boy that passed by the Rabbits as he took them out with his combination of Scorpion and Martial Arts.

Minoru thought it would be bad for his character and general presence in Border if he did not greet the star of the show before the end of this Invasion. Shobu Ninja Squad actually thought the same, but Shobu was a bit shy…

"Do your best, Tora-kun".

"Yes!"

As Minoru unexpectedly cheered me on, and I had no idea it was because he saw a bit of himself in me and the pain I felt, he decided to stand with me. I then ran past the A-Rank agent Minoru as I headed towards the special gate. There were more Rabbits coming from behind, but Minoru would not let them pass.

"Quickly, now! Spring the trap!"

But Kranz was not done yet. In truth, when I encountered the Black Trigger User Coba, he had expected me to run away in fear and so pre-emptively set up a perimeter. It was why Coba was surprised that when he gave me the chance to run, I did not. But it also meant that trap was still there, the Colsaria agents.

But the moment they sprang out, two sniper shots passed right by me and took them both out. Those sniper shots came all the way from the base, and I already knew who was responsible.

"I got your back Tora-kun".

And also, Daisuke finally remembered to say it the way he always meant to.

As I kept running, Ninomiya watched from a distance.

"He is still running…"

"But he is not running away".

When Ninomiya heard those words, he turned around to see Tachikawa putting down Sarah and Izumi. He apparently thought it would be better if the two arrived back here, now that they donated the Trion needed.

Ninomiya looked at Tachikawa puzzled as he put Sarah and Izumi down, but it was Izumi who spoke next.

"That is not him running away…that is him running towards battle" Izumi said with a smile. "Which means two things. Now, I accept him as a Border Agent. And that gate…is not one meant to escape".

"But, if the gate is not for him to leave then…"

"…its for something else to enter".

And meanwhile, I kept running towards that gate. I put one foot in front of the other, as fast as I could.

"KREEEEEEE!"

"It made it outside the perimeter!"

The Champion finally made it out of Temba Squad's traps, and charged right at me once more. I still had some ideas, but nothing I had currently would be able to stop a Champion for the time that I needed. I was so close too…I kept running and running, but I already heard Minoru warning me that it passed him.

It seemed that I lost…

"…like I said, we are Superheroes…"

…when three individuals seemed to appear out of nowhere in front of me, walking past me and towards the Champion. And because the Champion was so fixated on me, it did not notice the actions of the Shobu Ninja Squad until it was too late.

The Champion stepped on one of the Grasshoppers, and then as it was launched into the air hit another Grasshopper…and another, and another, and another.

The Shobu Ninja Squad, instead of trying to deal it damage, was doing a pure delay tactic. They were using a technique called Pinball, where one excessively jumped around a number of randomly placed Grasshoppers to make the person's actions hard to track and made it difficult to perceive its next move. But in this case, they were just using it to keep the Champion perpetually moving around like a pinball.

It brought out some weapons from its Trigger to use on them, but they were then protected by Sarah, Tachikawa, Izumi, and even Ninomiya who all used Full Shield. Of course, it would not last long against a Champion. But, Tora was able to get closer and closer to the gate. One would wonder why he did not just have it open closer, but again this gate was different and they did not want to risk it getting damaged.

"Sir!"

Meanwhile, one of Kranz subordinates contacted him.

"What is it?!"

"We have figured out the gate's function. Its not to run away!"

"Then what is it?!"

"Its…its forming a weapon! A strange weapon!"

And also, the Mimik drones just seemed to hum happily.

"I may have taken some inspiration for this one from the manga and anime I have been researching in this world…"

As such a thing was said, the Champion finally managed to break free of the Grasshopper mass and charged forwards me again. I was so close to the gate, but the Champion was fast and determined. It seemed unstoppable, uncontrollable.

"…it looks like we have no choice but to use that. Sorry, this will hurt a lot. Are you ready?"

Sthenos, and the rest of her squad, had also just made it in time. But right now, both members of her squad had these cords hooked up from them to Sthenos, and Mimik was behind it all.

"This will hurt a lot, and you wont even have a second. Time it right…and now!"

Suddenly, Mimik overcharged Sthenos with a ridiculously large amount of Trion from her team.

At the same time, I was a second away from touching the Gate.

But the Champion had also reached him. It would hit him first.

But Sthenos had a special power of her own thanks to who she was. She could temporarily take control of Trion Soldiers, but the more advanced and powerful it was the harder it was. Normally, she would doubt the ability to even control a Rabbit. A Champion would be impossible for her normally.

But by Mimik overcharging her with Trion, while it hurt a lot and was normally impractical, it let her take control of the Champion for half a second.

For half a second, it paused. I needed a full second to touch the gate.

But because it was paused for half a second, it also lost half a second of time. Which meant while it reached for me again, I touched the Gate first and was pulled inside as the weapon fully formed.

As it formed all around me, engulfing my body and then forming the structure of the "weapon" Mimik had decided upon, it took its form on the outside as well.

It was not all too big compared to what one might expect, but there was no doubt on what it was. On what had been created. I was inside it, but even I could clearly understand as I shouted its name.

"Gigas Machina! Ready for combat!"

* * *

AN: Heyo peoples! Woot! Longest chapter to date, but so worth it! I hope you all enjoyed! What do you guys think of the fights? The conversations? And how do you like the revelation of the Ultimate Plan and how everything was connected? Please answer all of these in a review please!


	24. Invasion of Mideen 6

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 22: Invasion of Mideen 6

(Tachikawa POV)

"And hello everyone! Isn't this a glorious day for an epic battle? Here with me right now is my valued teammate and epic Shooter Izumi, and our recent but good friend the Autonomous Trion Soldier and major otaku Mimik!"

"Yo!"

"Greetings".

"We are here today, along with Sarah Williams and also Agent Ninomiya in the background to spectate and comment on the epic battle between our valued ally and friend, the Neighbor and B-Rank Border Agent Tora Rokuda, and the enemy's superweapon Trion Soldier nicknamed Champion!"

At this exact moment, Tachikawa, Izumi, and Mimik were seated behind a makeshift announcer table, although Mimik was just floating, and both Sarah and Ninomiya just looked upon them with shocked expressions. Mimik had also produced some mics and had his clones acting as speakers for everyone.

"What the hell is this about…"

"…I honestly have no clue".

Suddenly, the three of them turned around and gave them, especially Ninomiya, a cold gaze.

"I suppose its forgivable for Sarah not to get it…"

"…but Ninomiya not getting it either is just…"

"…really sad".

"Then tell us already!"

Mimik quickly flew up to the two of them, and although nothing about his "face" changed, it could be felt somehow that he was glaring at them and judging them.

"Whether it is man or boy, there is one undeniable truth!"

"…and that is?"

To that question, Mimik answered in a way that undeniably made him the super/ultimate Otaku.

"That robots are the true ultimate romance for any man or boy! As such, of course we who cannot partake in operating the actual robot will do at least this!"

"…for such a reason…"

"Wait, don't tell me the main reason that form is a robot is because your that much of an otaku!?"

To the shock of everyone, the one who shouted in surprise with possibly more emotion then anyone had ever heard him use was Ninomiya.

"Of course not! In this robot form, it can store all that excess Trion, provide thick cover to prevent Tora from taking damage, which allows Tora to not use a Trion Body which allows him to preserve even more Trion for the fight, and thanks to its size we were able to prepare plenty of weapons! Now, the fight is about to begin!"

Mimik then flew back to the others, and left Ninomiya and Sarah with shocked and bewildered expressions.

"And so, let the battle begin!"

* * *

(Tora POV)

I was quick to make the first strike. Even though I was now safe inside the Trion Mecha, Gigas Machina, the Champion was still right there. So I quickly kicked it away and then used that time to adjust myself and get everything ready to use.

Although it was indeed a pilotable robot though, it was not that big, and would barely be two stories tall if that. But thanks to my own small size, and the fact it was made of Trion and so did not need a number of things a non-Trion mecha would need, I had enough room to manage. Still, the Champion seemed…bigger. I was sure it was the same one that hunted me before, but it looked like they probably infused even more Trion into it. It was more adult size now. Or maybe it was the Trigger?

Either way, I also activated the comm systems so I could get help and advice from everyone else that was nearby. Since they had been fighting it before me, they would know things and have tips I could use given the obvious enhancements to it.

The first one to reply was surprisingly the one I met today, Minoru.

"Tora-kun, the Champion knew martial arts! Does that mean you know it as well?"

"Yeah, but it probably wont be a style you recognize since it was made in Colsaria".

"No no, that's fine. But did you know that?"

"I never saw it use it, but I know they wanted to try and make that work. Thanks for letting me know, I will make sure to adjust for it".

After that, the one that spoke was Reiji.

"Tora-kun, I strategically attacked it from all sides to gather data on the Champion. Something bothered me before, how Konami was able to do a good bit of damage with a single attack, although granted it was a surprise attack, but yet Jin and Miwa Squad combined had issues. Although it doesn't appear to have any weakpoints. I hit it in the same spot, but I was not able to produce the same result with a single attack. However, in the end I used a special trick. I did not just use all my attacks in the same spot, I actually used a last result of Full Arms and diverted all Trion power to overcharge a single attack, and then when I unleashed it I was able to do damage closer to Konami. In other words, don't overwhelm it with multiple attacks. Focus on precision and refined power".

After that was Shun.

"Tora".

"Yes?"

"Kick it's ass".

"Yes!"

And then was…

"…do your best…"

"Ah, thanks…erm…"

"He is a bit of a shy and quiet one, but his name is Shobu Tenyru, of the Shobu Ninja Squad! And you can call me Kaze!"

"Ah, thank you".

And then was Izumi, on a private channel and not the announcer channel.

"Welcome to Border Tora. Also, Gimlet seemed a bit effective. But it seems that Reiji managed some damage through overcharge…Tora, you know composite bullets?"

"Yeah".

"Use your advantages, and create composite bullets".

"But I don't know what those are really! I know Sarah uses them, but no one ever told me what they were really!"

"No, you do. Mimik explained to me that they trained you to do so in Colsaria, but called them Fusion Shots using their Triggers".

"Oh…so that was it. Alright then! I am a bit out of practice, but I will see about it".

"Well, from what Mimik told me, you should produce something really nice. Remember to name it!"

"Yes!"

And then…

"You are still not allowed to die yet".

"U..understood!"

Miwa's threatening like support scared me, but as cheers and praises followed and eased my heart, I couldn't focus on them any more as the Champion approached. It was able to take Ibis shots, the mines from Temba Squad, and countless other attacks. And even though it was clearly still good for combat, I could see damage on it.

Honestly, I had Mimik prepare this on the premise I would be dealing with a Champion at one hundred percent. But instead, the Champion had quite a bit of damage. It seemed like they had been making it tougher with each battle though, given that each time we fought it the Champion seemed to be even stronger and capable of taking more attacks. Likely they had been using these battles to refine it.

But, even with all that. I was certain now.

This time, I would not run and I would not lose.

I was going to take this thing down.

As it charged towards me, I charged towards it. The Gigas Machina was only a pilotable robot for someone of my small size, so there was not that much size difference between us. However, I already knew a fistfight alone would not be enough to take it down.

Even if someone had a large Trion Gland, there was also a limit on how much Trion any one Trion Gland could pump out. But me, I had three. And this let me do some unique and interesting things.

"Asteroid…times three!"

Suddenly, three asteroid cubes appeared around me as I charged. The Champion realized what I was planning, but because we charged at each other it was already in range to a point I couldn't miss. I then combined all three giant Asteroid Cubes…a composite bullet of three Asteroids. And like Izumi said, I had to give it a name.

"Astroia!"

Was not that original of a name, but I think it works.

The Champion was caught at point blank range and unleashed a heavy amount of trion bullets. But it was more then that, just like what Konami pulled off before, I was able to inflict notable damage.

"Astroia!"

And so I kept generating the cubes and fired again.

Even if this was an intense battle for my freedom, I could not stop smiling.

Not only was I piloting a giant (to me) robot, I was doing damage to a Champion.

I was fighting against my ultimate fear. I had the support of my friends, this mecha was made from the Trion of everyone who wanted to help me. Of everyone who supported me. And with it, I could fight against my fears.

So yes, I was going to fight with all my might.

The Champion moved around me and tried to stab into the Gigas Machina by forming blades on its arms, to pry open the armor and get at me, but I deployed shields to block it. It broke though, but it took enough of the impact for the armor to hold. I quickly grabbed its arm, twisted the arm around as I also twisted the body of the Champion around, and flipped it over onto it's back.

"Ooooh….that was actually pretty good. The movements needed for that were low too".

Minoru couldn't help but admire the fighting style that was not just drilled but tortured into me at a young age.

Meanwhile, the others were also making comments.

"Mmmhhhmmmm, those are good moves. Very good creation of the Trion Mecha, Gigas Machina, Mimik".

"Thank you, I took great care in its construction after doing…err, research. It is quite optimal, and it can take advantage of Tora's three Trion Glands to create the advanced Composite Bullets".

"I see…maybe Tora will receive a personalized Trigger from Tamakoma one day that takes advantage of that to the fullest. Being able to create three cubes at once is impressive".

Meanwhile, I quickly jumped up and tried to smash its head in, but it rolled to the side and then fired a laser from its face. I deployed a shield from the arm to divert the blast while reinforcing it with the normal transparent shields, and was able to then charge forward while forming a Trion blade in my right hand.

The Champion managed to slam its hands together and catch the blade however, but then my other hand had a dagger in it and I managed to cut the arm. As the blades were formed from a sheer overwhelming level of Trion, it got cut right through.

"Hey, hey. You three. Is it me, or is that mecha a bit too strong? I know it was formed from everyone's Trion, but…isn't it outputting too much power? Wont it burn out at this rate?"

"That is because of Tora as well. Because Tora is inside that thing, protected by the armor and the shields, he doesn't have to maintain a Trion Body. Therefore, Tora can keep regenerating Trion in his normal body inside that thing. Additionally, because he has three Trion Organs, he has a higher output then most. Although…if he is really enjoying himself during this, he might be pushing himself quite far".

As they said, I was certainly pushing my Trion Organs past their limit. Of course, whenever people exercise they push their muscles past their limits all the time to get stronger. And besides, this was way too much fun. It was too exciting for me, I couldn't help but go all out.

To defeat a Champion. Even if it was wounded, and I borrowed everyone's Trion, it was just what I needed. After so long, something in my mind finally clicked.

I can fight a Champion.

Why?

Because I was one step away from becoming one myself. So while it is the finished product…I still have all those enhancements, all that brutal training, all that hardship.

I was afraid of becoming one, but the fact that I had almost become one meant that I was the person who was best able to fight and beat a Champion.

I could do this.

"Astroia!"

I launched another blast of Triple Asteroid, Astroia, at close range before following it up with a materialized sword and slashing at it. At that point though, it protected itself with a shield as several strange crystals appeared in the air around it. And almost immediately, they fired powerful lasers at me. They tried to focus on joints, the center where I was, and also the head.

"KREE KRE!"

Suddenly, a large sword also came down at me, but I managed to divert it by pushing the blade away with one of the mecha hands. I then moved around and kicked the Champion right in the chest to send it flying back, but it seemed to be wary of that this time and managed to block it partly, only being sent part of the way back. And yet…

"Astroia!"

I launched another triple Asteroid. Not many people could use this many Advanced Composite Bullets this quickly, but because I had three Trion Glands I had high output and high recovery.

And inside this thing, I was constantly recovering Trion.

The Champion seemed to realize this and brought out a huge cannon, which he then fired at me. I was just barely able to dodge, but the Champion used that to get on the offensive and came at me with two blades, one in each hand, and swung at me.

I deployed shields to help block the second strike, but it managed to break through and do damage. But the armor held, and it was unable to do anything more then a shallow cut.

I launched another point blank Astroia, but it seemed to be learning my combat tactics and abilities and pre-emptively dodged it. I hopped backwards before it could strike again and launched another Astroia while also activating the arm cannons and firing those. It managed to dodge the Astroia, but the arm cannons caught it off guard and it took damage. It immediately started to get up but I lunged at it with a blade.

It managed to grab the blade, and spin it away to deflect it and throw me off balance. But as it did, I had already stared my next attack and as I went off balance the kick still met it's face and it went flying into a building. I then launched an Astroia and the arm Cannons at the building to damage it while it was trapped in there.

But then, I sensed danger from under the ground and hopped back as the Champion burst out with a large blade. I was quick to blast the blade and cause it damage, but the Champion immediately regenerated it. It also summoned shoulder mounted chainguns and fired at me, forcing me to focus on defense while it charged towards me.

And yet, once it got close I used Colsaria Martial Arts to quickly duck around its attacks, appear from behind, and I grabbed it from behind and threw it behind me over my head. I turned around to see it impact the ground, but as I sensed something it had also prepared a large cannon and fired at me, scoring a direct hit before I could dodge.

It used that moment to charge at me, and rammed right into me with a blade in its arms to penetrate the armor. It was so close to getting at me now, but I also twisted the arms around as it tried to dig in deeper and prevented it from being able to escape.

"Astroia!"

I impacted it with a huge burst of Astroia. Between it and all the other damage it had taken, the Champion was at it's limits.

"Astroia!"

It tried to dig in deeper, and was about to penetrate into the cockpit. I realized it now just how desperate I made it. It was already heavily damaged when we started, and now I realized it had been using Trion like crazy to finish me off quickly.

"Astroia!"

That face, warped with pain and anger and sadness stared right at me and was trying to kill me. That face which I once feared to ever look upon was now damaged from the Astroia, the broken mask. There was nothing underneath though, the person that the Champion used to be died in it's creation.

"Astroia!"

It dug closer and closer, and finally I saw the blade penetrate the armor. But…it was already too cracked and damaged.

"Astroia!"

And with one final attack…The Champion fell.

I felled the Champion.

I defeated what once made me frozen with fear.

"Yeaaaaaah!"

I let out a scream as the mecha fell backward with me inside, and lay upon the shattered street.

Meanwhile, Kranz was in shock. Every expectation he had…it was overturned. Tora defeated the Champion in one on one combat. Sure, it had damage already, but it was not severe. And yet, the boy somehow did it.

It did not take long for Kranz to realize though what Tora would do next. And so, in a reversal of roles, Kranz felt an overwhelming fear from Tora…the boy who he sensed would kill him.

Kranz immediately recalled to the ship and ordered a recall for everyone else.

* * *

(Amo POV)

Amo sat on a piece of rubble in a new crater in the forbidden zone, catching his breath.

"That…was fun…"

Amo looked at the shattered remains of the Champion that was sent him.

"If only most opponents were fun like that".

* * *

(Yuki POV)

"The drones…are falling back?"

"Does that mean they got…"

"No".

As Suzu and Toby looked out the window concerned, Yuki shook his head.

"But Jin said…"

"No, trust me. This is a retreat, not a victory for them. Tora is safe, and we won".

"You sure?"

Yuki smiled and nodded, as a Mini Mimik came out of his ear.

"Of course. After all, I had tabs on things the whole time".

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Jin said that as he walked up to Yuki with Fujin.

"Because, if they were so worried about you, we were worried they were somehow monitoring you. It was safer this way".

"Fair enough".

"But why didn't you tell us also, Yuki-sempai?!"

"Because it was easier to keep a secret that way?"

And so, Yuki got into a bit of trouble with his squad for keeping such an important fact from them.

* * *

(Konami POV)

"Great job! But, there might still be enemies they left behind at the base! So can you quickly form the car again and drive us to base?"

"W..wait!? You want Tora to drive again?!"

"Of course! He was a great driver after all! Really takes after me there!"

And so Konami not only cheered him on, but said something dangerous that gave Shun the chills…and made him never want to have Konami or Tora as a driver ever again.

* * *

(Kido POV)

"It looks like…they are pulling back. It's over".

"Good".

Kido said that as he watched the monitors. As they had pulled back, communications, bail out systems, and other things were restored.

"Tora Rokuda. On one hand, he helped out greatly…but on the other, he caused all of this in the beginning".

"It seems…he fought the Champion heads on this time".

Kido narrowed his eyes.

"So he didn't run away, but stood with us. I see…"

* * *

(Rindo POV)

"All clear. Looks like its all over".

"Hmm. I knew Tora could do it".

"Oi, Yotaro. Tora is your senior. You should at least use niisan to refer to him".

"Dun wanna".

* * *

(Yumi POV)

Yumi watched the shattered and destroyed surrounding.

"No fun. We were just about to finish too, and they recalled him".

"I kinda feel like we did not do much in this invasion. Doesn't it feel like our story got sidelined?"

"It cant be helped, we mainly fought a single person. Besides, it can be really hard to follow Yumi's battle style, I even find it mysterious. And she didn't even need it to fight Miwa".

As the group commented, Karasuwa walked up to Yumi. Although no one else had witnessed what she did before aside from her squad, Karasuwa was shocked. After all, what he saw…what he learned…was something completely unexpected.

"Yumi…"

"Yes, Karasuwa?"

"I forget. It was said you practice martial arts right? I was told it was karate, but that tends to be a thing people say when they don't know the real fighting style".

"Your point?"

"Its just…I didn't expect to see a martial arts style similar to what I saw Tora use in sparring matches against Konami".

"Oh, was it similar?"

Karasuwa just looked at her with a stare.

"Yumi, are you a Neighbor?"

Yumi just smiled at him, and shook her head.

"Born and raised here on Mideen. On Earth".

Karasuwa, who was a master of lies and deceptions from practicing on Konami so much, knew she was telling the truth…except, something about her made him sure of it.

Yumi had a secret, and she certainly was no normal girl.

* * *

(Minoru POV)

Since Minoru had already greeted and supported Tora, and now that the invasion was over and the enemy was pulling back, he jumped onto the building Ninomiya was on, grabbed his wrist, and began pulling him away.

"Huh?"

"Come now Masa, now that it is all over I need you to help me unwind".

And so, the two left while Sarah, Tachikawa, and Izumi all had reddened cheeks after understanding what Minoru meant.

"Ahem…we should, ignore that and give them privacy".

"Agreed".

"I don't remember seeing anything".

"Odd. My memory seems to have deleted the past thirty seconds".

* * *

(Cylian POV)

"Woo hoo! We did it!"

"Nice one…"

"…Tora-kun!"

"Hahaha! And a robot too! Every boy's dream! Damnit, I want a robot now! Mimik, can you make some for us later?"

"Unfortunately, that will likely be impossible for some time".

"But maybe one day, right?!"

"…maybe. But, I need more suggestions for Mecha Manga and Anime".

"You could read Knights and Magic? That might give you some ideas".

"Also, Code Geass would be another good one".

"Don't forget GaoGaiGar!"

"Thank you. Please continue to submit more suggestions".

* * *

(Tora POV)

After resting for some time, I finally moved my body and left the mecha, climbing out into the open street. I really did do it. I…

Suddenly, I got pulled into a hug. Hold on, I didn't even sense a presence?! When I looked, it was that boy from before…Shobu.

"…good job, Tora-kun".

"Yeah! Nice one, Tora-chi!"

"Kaze! You shouldn't call him that…ah, err. Hello, Tora-kun. Sorry if this seems like an odd time for an introduction, but Shobu can be a bit shy so….anyways, good fight. And it's nice to meet you".

"Same. And thanks for the help!"

"Ya Welcome, Tora-chi! No doubt about it, you are one of us now!"

"You know, I actually heard once that HQ was mostly made of people that hated Neighbors and wanted to eliminate them indiscriminantly".

"Eh, it's a bit exaggerated. Besides! Not only your past, how can anyone call you an enemy after how passionately you fought there! Nah! You are definently one of us, not one of those guys!"

"…we are superheroes. Tora is a superhero. We have a lot in common".

Suddenly, while hugging me Shobu started petting my head. I…actually kind of liked it, but that only made me more embarrassed.

"Wow. Shobu-kun took forever to meet him, but now he is acting really close to Tora-chi!"

"Kaze! Well, I guess it is true".

"…that's because, I feel bad only just introducing us to him at this point in the invasion. Especially given what happened to him".

"…thanks…"

"…no problem. Besides, you needed some time to cry right?"

At those words, I only just noticed that I had been crying for some time now. Even though I was not sad?

"Why…why am I crying?"

Kaze was about to speak again, but the other boy (Ame) stopped him.

"I guess, this probably has not happened to you often…maybe not at all. But Tora, these are not tears of sadness. They are tears of joy".

"People can cry when they are happy?"

"Yes. And you can tell because those tears feel much better then others…"

I could not help but smile at those words.

"…good job, Tora-kun".

* * *

(? POV)

A stranger, off in the distance, observed the aftermaths of the battle and watched the various people cheer, cry, and do other such things. He had a strange looking telescope in his hand. First, he focused on Tora. Then on Shobu. Then on Temba Squad. And then, on Tsukiko Squad. And finally, Senzai Squad. There were others that also pulled his interest though, like Bakaro Squad, but they were not in his line of sight at the moment.

"It looks like Border is advancing well for now, but…it wont be long. Soon, Border will fall…and we shall rise".

And so with those ominous words, the stranger took some notes and then walked away.

* * *

AN: And so the invasion has come to a close! Tora ended up getting an epic battle, but that should have been expected! I mean, story wise it would not fit for anyone else to get it right? Anyways, the question this time is...what was your favorite fight so far in this story?


	25. After the InvasionTamakoma Branch 2

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 23: After the Invasion/Tamakoma Branch 2

AN: Muuuu...I was kind of hoping for more reviews for the Invasion Arc from people...so few, at least at the time I am writing this. Was really nervous about the arc too...well, anyways! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Gets a bit crazy...but, who said that was a bad thing? But seriously, let me know what you guys like, and anything you think you would like to see more of! Also, since its been awhile, I will repeat this once more just for good measure. Shobu Ninja Sq...I mean, Tenryu Squad is owned and was created by TheAnimeTrain, better known as TATS-Sempai, and Senzai Squad is owned and was created by Monkey pie225. Anyways, enough rambling...onto the chapter!

* * *

(Tora POV)

At Tamakoma Branch, things could be said to be a bit…or maybe, very weird. And this was not the normal weirdness either, but a weirdness that was strange even for Tamakoma branch.

It couldn't quite be placed, but the atmosphere seemed…strained. Or worried. Or tense.

Was this really all because of me?

"Uhh, guys…come on, its been a few days since the invasion and over a month since I have been here. Couldn't you guys, you know, just trust me with this?"

I was currently at the entrance to Tamakoma and was doing my final checks as a crowd of people were watching me with various expressions including worry, suspense, and other such things. Since the invasion, instead of spending my time equally between Daisuke's place, Sarah's place, and here, I had been exclusively staying here. That was because of what happened during the invasion, and what was discovered about Jin's Side Effect being targeted by some slow acting poison.

Since everyone did not know the full damage already inflicted, although Jin was still able to predict things, various people had decided to test it and surely enough, some made it through. Also, it seemed like a lot of people wanted to get some shots in against Jin.

However, this was a significant moment for me that I felt I had to do. It was already not going to be as big as Sarah refused to let me take off this damn collar, as helpful as it was. In fact, it was the reason that Mimik was able to maintain contact with everyone. After all, Kranz knew of Mimik and had developed a counter measure for him. It turned out that in this collar was both a Trion Signal Beacon and apparently some non-Trion based signal stuff, which was how he bypassed the jamming. I also heard of a few other features…it was pretty clear Sarah designed this so that I would willingly keep it on. It did have quite the number of functions.

"See, I am still properly wearing it! I have the list! I am fully dressed, shoes are on, I have everything! Come on! You all want me to develop as a person right? At least, that is the excuse you use to embarrass me, so you cant deny me this!"

"Alright, alright. We promise we will let you do this on your own. Still, are you sure you are ready?"

"If its about the weight, Konami-neechan can confirm I can handle it".

"Its true…and Tora-chan, you have the full list right?"

"Yes!"

"And Tora, you will remember to pick up all the manga I suggested right?"

"Got it, Mimik! Wrote it all down!"

"And Tora-kun, you will also remember to get the Neighbor Repellant they started selling after the invasion right?"

Suddenly, me and Konami gave a shocked look at Karasuma.

"Wh….wha?! Is this true?! To think Mideen has advanced that far…"

"I don't recall seeing it on any of Tora-chan's lists either! Tora-chan, hold on! Let me get a pen!"

"Actually, I lied".

Ah…Karasuma got us both again. Because I lacked common sense not just for Mideen but about life in general, sometimes I fell for Karasuma's lies just like Konami. While I got embarrassed…

"Karasuma! You lied to me! And you confused Tora-chan!"

Konami ended up pounding on Karasuma this time. Most of the time, she would pound on someone else, like Daisuke or Midorikawa. Sometimes it felt like she would look for someone who was not even there. But somehow, the only time she got the right person was when the lie was directed towards me. Well, maybe it was just when it was towards anyone else that was not her though.

As for what this was all about, I was going to go on my own to do errands. As in, no one would be escorting me, no one would hold my hand or carry me. It would just be me, with lists and bags, and I would do shopping at a convenience store. I would do this on my own, and no one would be babying me and supporting me.

"Anyways, I am off!"

"Take care! And good luck!"

And so, I left through the door and began my first errand.

(Tamakoma POV)

Once Tora had left and was a good distance away, the entire Tamakoma Branch leapt into action.

"Mimik, Daisuke, Reiji, Konami, Sarah, your five monitor Tora-kun from the shadows and make absolutely sure he gets through this okay without realizing you are there! The rest of us will monitor the situation involving the press conference and use whatever influence we have to prevent them from turning this into a bad situation".

Rindo and the group had a lot of concerns, but the main one was if the Border Executives would blame Tora for what occurred. This entire time, they kept Tora busy and occupied at Tamakoma to make sure he never saw the news. They did not completely hide it from him, but they made sure that what he had been exposed to would not be too strong or severe.

Today was the press conference however, and there would be no way to hide all their actions from Tora if he was here. So, they subtly planted this idea in his head to do this. Although, it didn't really take much to do so.

Even though most of the intense action happened inside the Forbidden Zone, somehow they managed to secretly open gates throughout the city. And along with damage to public places in the city, while it was mitigated thanks to the response of Border Agents, there were still some that went missing and people that got injured or killed in accidents and incidents caused by the surprise appearance of Neighbors. And of course, the one who was responsible for this invasion happening in the first place was Tora, although it was certainly confirmed that he was not their only goal.

It appeared they were going after people with high Trion, including people that had not been recruited into Border. They seemed to have a wide range of targets, but there were various reports that indicated they went after targets that were out of the way, including not only a thirteen year old girl but several elementary schools as well. Of course the elementary schools actually made a lot of sense, since they were still at the age where their Trion Glands could be developed and refined and were not close to the point where they might start to decay, around age twenty. There was also a few C-Ranks that got caught up in it all.

Jin said there was still a good chance that things would go well, but there was no guarantee of that especially given how Jin's Side Effect was targeted. Although it was slow acting so that it wouldn't be noticed until it was too late, they had already started analysis and treatment to counteract it. It was unclear if they would be able to restore it to full condition though. But, it was still at a point where it was still extremely powerful and useful.

And yet, with the press conference that was about to start, they absolutely had to make sure to take action given what they had learned from Jin.

There were several endings to this, a number they absolutely had to avoid:

Tora getting blamed for the invasion, all potential futures end badly for Tora and a few still for Border.

Border getting blamed for the invasion, worst case scenario no matter what.

Border attempts to blame Tora/Tamakoma Branch, but then both get blamed. Would end the same as previous choice.

Tamakoma Branch getting blamed for the invasion and Tora, almost certainly eliminates all potential diplomacy options in the future for Neighborhood Nations. Likely would eventually lead to Border being overwhelmed and destroyed by the Neighborhood.

Any of the above options happening, but instead of Border dismissal it is taken over by Government/Military. Almost certainly would eventually lead to WW3. Also a really bad ending.

No one gets blamed, comparison to original Invasion successful in lowering public outrage and anger.

Previous option but Border also "reveals" a few "secrets" and shows their advancements and efforts.

Reveal the full truth. Wildcard outcome, too many factors for Jin to be certain of any likely outcome.

Put blame on Neighborhood, saves Border but makes future diplomacy difficult.

Those were the main endings that Jin saw, though aside from the fact his Side Effect already did not show every future, with that drug there was a chance some options were missed. Still, the odds had been stacked against them it seemed. With all of that, they would have to work really hard to make sure the worst case scenarios did not occur.

"Alright everyone, move out!"

(Generic Third POV)

After they had finished the meeting, the first group set out and made sure to monitor the situation from a distance. Because of Tora's enhanced senses, they had to make absolutely sure that none of them were spotted. After all, this was supposed to be a significant milestone for Tora. It would be bad for them if they got discovered.

That was why they all made sure to equip Chameleon for this mission, and had also requested help from some specialists.

"…Shobu Ninja Squad reporting. In position, so far so good".

In retrospect, one might question from this scene just how overprotective they were exactly, but that was not something that anyone had the desire to learn.

Meanwhile, Tora had made it out of the Forbidden Zone and was now on the street. He had a map in one hand, and a piece of paper that detailed where he was going and what to get in the other.

"Etto…which way is north again? Do I go left, or right…"

Tora, who was still unfamiliar with maps and directions, had come across his first hurdle.

The correct direction was right, but…

"I should go left!"

Tora turned and walked left in a hurry. Immediately, the entire Covert Tora Escort Squad panicked on what to do, and several members tried to run off to help as others held them back, not wanting to bring this to an end so quickly.

Before anyone could break free though, something surprising had ended up happening. A motorcycle took a turn too hard, accidentally lost balance and crashed into the path where Tora would have been walking had he turned right. Incidentally, after Tora went left, he stopped at the crosswalk, walked across the street, and then went right as if nothing was wrong.

 _Can't let myself get distracted! If I take too long, who knows what they might do!_

Tora was so concerned that if he took too long they would mobilize an excessive response, he paid the accident no mind and kept going. Incidentally, Tora had sensed the danger of going right thanks to his Danger Sense Side Effect.

The others realized this, and sighed with relief. So far, so good. Tora continued on his way, and approached his next corner to turn when…

"Oh, hello little boy! You look so adorable on your own like this! Are you running an errand for your parents?"

There was an old lady who was doing some gardening for the plants in front of her apartment building that saw Tora and the bags he was carrying, and ended up calling out to him. However, this was the first time he was talked to by strangers outside of Border. He had two weeks to mentally prepare himself for that, but he was never told that random people on the street, particularly old ladies, might converse with him on the way there.

As such, he ended up getting started and timidly hid behind a telephone pole. Countless people in the escort force with cameras decided to record this moment as they sighed with admiration, as they found the behavior adorable and cute.

"…umm…hello…"

Unfortunately, the personality of this old lady and the way she perceived his actions caused a minor misunderstanding and resulted in a development that gave Tora a further shock. She quickly got up, walked over to him while he was too timid to move, and pulled him into a hug that also lifted him up in the process.

"Poor dear, I am sorry for startling you like that. That recent invasion must have scared you quite a bit and still does a little, doesn't it".

Tora ended up getting even more embarrassed, more startled, and other such emotions. But thankfully in his mind, instead of holding him for some prolonged period of time she put him down.

"Anyways, don't be afraid. Big and strong Border will certainly keep you safe…oh, what is this? What an adorable collar! It looks really good on you too! I can see someone cares for you very much, it looks like it was personally designed to be wearable in public. And it has your name even. It seems like someone really cares for you, Tora-chan".

"…umm…uhh…thank you, but I should…I still have…errands to do".

"Oh my, I am sorry? Is this your first time doing errands solo? What a milestone! Well, I better not keep you here then. Good luck, Tora-chan!"

After she finally let Tora go from the conversation and returned to her gardening, Tora quickly resumed walking towards the store with a reddened face and an extreme level of nervousness.

Of course, the others were still recording all of this.

"I think that was his first encounter with a stranger outside of Border".

"…he did really well…"

"Old woman encounter…is it me or is Tora-chan cliché prone?"

"Isn't everything a cliché these days?"

Tora kept walking as he was unaware of the conversation that had occurred or the embarrassing footage that they were collecting on him, although there was already quite a bit of embarrassing footage on him thanks to Sarah, who had once recorded one of their "bath times". There were also plenty of other videos or photos of Tora naked or in some embarrassing outfit. At one point, he questioned Sarah about it, and she replied that "Tora had no and never would have any romance appeal and looked adorable in all the photos so it's all good!"

Needless to say, that inflicted a bit of mental damage onto Tora.

And so, Tora's First Errand Adventure continued as such. It was not too far from where he was now, so theoretically speaking it should be all good.

"Oi, you! Brat! Give us all your money!"

And yet somehow, Tora managed to run across a hooligan trio.

"Uh oh! Those people…we have to help Tora-chan!"

Sarah immediately wanted to rush to help him, but was stopped by Konami.

"It's okay. I taught him how to deal with this".

"…you did?"

"Yeah, if any rude jerks appeared, I told him that it is okay to defend yourself and beat them up! Especially if they were perverted jerks!"

"…hold on, those three are high schoolers though! Wont Tora-chan only be in a more dangerous situation if he beats them up?!"

And then, they heard what sounded like a boom thanks to Mimik's Audio Enhanced that let them listen in better on Tora's surroundings.

The group turned and saw that the three of them were on the ground, holding their feet and shins.

"Huh? He went far easier on them then I taught him…why…"

And then, Tora's voice came through.

"I don't have time to deal with you people and beat you up, I have errands to do! I will finish beating you up next time!"

And after he said something like that, the small little boy with white hair and red eyes turned and continued to make his way towards the convienence store.

"Konami-sempai, I think we need to have a chat about what you have been teaching him".

"Eh? Why? So far everything I taught him has been quite good".

"…aside from dumb luck that it became relevant, you still taught him how to drive, to beat people up regardless of who they were if they gave him trouble, and that makes me concerned about what else you have taught him".

"Well, I did teach him how to negotiate with store clerks if they tried to cheat or overcharge him".

"…oh…oh dear…"

An overbearing sense of dread began to creep up on several of them after they heard those words from Konami while Tora checked his map, list, and then his phone before he continued forward.

(Rindo POV)

Meanwhile, at the press conference there was another situation that was deemed dangerous and urgent. That was how Border was going to handle the resolution of events, and how they could influence it to ensure it worked in their favor. They already had their cards in place, now it was only a matter of how they used them.

As they were checking the situation and giving out instructions, the other Border Executives also continued to check their email, texts, and such for any last minute information they could use as well.

This would be the defining moment of Border's future right here.

And so, as everyone took their seats and got their papers in order, the conference began.

First off, Motokichi Kinuta started with an explanation of the general overview of what they had learned. At first, he explained that a highly advanced nation in the Neighborhood launched an attack against Border with one of its goals being to collect what they considered "resources".

And that caused the entire conference to go into an uproar instantly. Even a few of the other Border executives seemed shocked by what he started with. It was as if he intentionally caused a huge amount of chaos, and the only two that showed no reaction was Masamune Kido and Katsumi Karasawa to what he had started.

"Kinuta-san…"

But before any of them could get a word out, the reporters made their moves.

"Hold on! Are you saying that there are multiple different nations in this so called Neighborhood?"

"Why did they attack us and not each other?"

"Why do they consider people resources?!"

"What are the Neighbors really after?!"

"How much are you not telling us?!"

"Why does Border mainly recruit children?!"

"How did you get this information?!"

After all those questions were bombarded on them, it was Eizo Netsuki that was the next to speak.

"We got all of this information from a Neighbor who came here as a refugee running away from that nation, which is called Colsaria! As for why we were targeted, they are after a substance called Trion that is what powers the Neighbor's technology, and is produced by a hidden organ in the human body! They also seemed to be targeting the refugee that originally came here!"

Rindo scowled a bit at Netsuke when he referenced Tora. Although it was true that Tora was a major reason that they attacked like that, it was a bit unfair to blame him and could lead to major damage to Border, at least their diplomatic abilities.

At this point, he himself spoke up.

"However, we did have intel that suggested they might already be planning to invade anyways, so the information we were able to gather from him ended up being highly beneficial as well. In fact, if you look at the details, Border was able to succeed much better this time. There were no deaths in this invasion, and the amount of missing people never even got close to the triple digits!"

That information then caused a number of clamoring people to quell their anger, but there were still reporters that were asking questions and wanted answers.

"How do you plan to explain that to the families of the people that were abducted though?! And how is there such a thing as a Neighbor refugee?"

After that, the Border Executives were essentially forced to explain the difference between Trion Soldiers and actual humanoid Neighbors. They also had to go more in depth about the Neighborhood, and the various planet nations. And also…they had to bring up Tora again, though once again his name was not brought up. It seemed that Border was releasing as little information as they could, with the occasional exception of when they absolutely had to release a lot.

"So is it this refugee's fault? Who is it, what do they have to say on this matter? Do they even feel sorry at all for the decision they made that caused all this?!"

Rindo twitched a little at that question. It was clearly one set up by one of the others to shift blame onto Tora if needed, or maybe Tamakoma in general.

If this line of questioning continued, there was no doubt that Tora would get blamed.

Rindo was about to move one of his pieces in this conference, although he as worried it could put them in a disadvantageous position, but another unknown factor called out.

"If this refugee was running away from this Colsaria Nation, does that mean the Neighborhood is diverse like Earth?"

Rindo was not sure who said it, or more importantly, who organized it to be said, but he did not let this chance go to waste.

"Yes. We have confirmed this. The ones that invade are not even every Planet Nation, but only some of the strongest. And even then, it is only their militaries. Although we have yet to have a chance to investigate in detail, it seems there are plenty who are not even fully aware of what their militaries and governments do in other Planet Nations. Furthermore, the refugee himself was originally a member of that nation that was then imprisoned and used for experimentation before he escaped and fled to Mideen. In exchange for his cooperation and information, Border has agreed to shelter him as it was the right thing to do".

At that point, public opinion began to shift quite a bit…but there was still not enough.

And then the man ho originally threw this entire thing into chaos, Kinuta, spoke up again.

"We are currently looking into the possibility of siding with the nations that have not attacked us yet, and we were also able to get information recently that will allow us to develop our own ways of entering the Neighborhood with the goals of not only rescuing the people taken in this invasion, but also the countless missing civilians in the previous invasion!"

 _Kinuta…thank you, but…who the hell are you doing this for?_

(Tamakoma POV)

"Etto…I better get this, and this…Konami-sempai would like…that…ahhg, its so high up!"

Tora was finally at the store and had managed to collect most of what was needed, although on occasions like this one an item was too high and he was forced to ask for help from the staff.

"There you go, little boy".

"…I am not that little…"

"Ah…ah! Sorry, sorry!"

"…thanks".

As he was handed the item, Tora was a bit annoyed. So far, everyone kept calling him "little boy" which was causing him quite a bit of mental damage.

But after all was said and done, he finally made it to the check out line and eventually was able to finish getting all the groceries and items on the list. He paid with the money that had been entrusted to him, and after he got everything put in his bags, he finally left the store victorious.

Meanwhile, the people who had observed him sighed in relief.

"Oh good…it did not end badly…"

Thankfully, Tora had never encountered a reason to use Konami's negotiation tactics. That allowed the actual shopping to go without incident, though after the third store employee called him "little boy" he nearly activated his Trigger and went violent and threatening.

And now, Tora was out and about. All he had to do now was return home, and the situation would be resolved successfully.

And so, Tora began walking towards the opposite direction of Tamakoma branch…

"No!"

And everyone began to panic again. He actually walked the route, yet he had forgotten the way back?! After he had just walked it?! Truly, Tora had no sense of direction. And to add things on…

"Now!"

Suddenly, a group of three men sprang out from an alley Tora was walking near. It was pretty obvious given their masks and the fact they grabbed Tora this was a kidnapping. They even began to pull at Tora's clothes as he was struggling to try and make him more compliant.

But before any of those situations developed into something, a figure that had also come out of the store a bit after Tora moved past them all and in the process hit each of them in places that caused them to pass out. And as for the identity of that person…

"You are still not allowed to get into trouble like this, idiot. I still need you to find and rescue my sister".

"Mi..Miwa? What are you doing here?"

For a split second, Miwa glanced at the people who had been following Tora without letting him catch on, and looked several right in the eyes, before turning his gaze back towards the boy. He raised the bags in his hand.

"I need to shop too, idiot".

"Ah…right…I see. So..sorry".

Meanwhile, even though they had taken so many preparations to avoid being detected by Tora, several of them broke out into a cold sweat when Miwa who should have inferior senses clearly detected them.

Miwa then narrowed his eyes at Tora again, and did something really odd.

"…I just realized for someone your age and size, I don't think I have ever seen you wear shorts or short sleeves despite the weather".

Tora however just looked away and his tone lowered.

"Well, it would make things more problematic for both of us if anyone saw them right?"

"Good, so you seem capable of thinking after all. Anyways, you better keep it that way".

Suddenly, Tora seemed to get a message on his phone. He took it out and checked it, and smiled as a result.

"What is it?"

"A message from Kinuta-san. Looks like everything is all good".

And meanwhile, at the location where the group that was monitoring Tora was…

"Hold on…Kinuta-san? Then…he knew this whole time?!"

They learned that it appeared Tora was aware of the press conference from the very beginning.

(Tora POV)

After I had made it back to Tamakoma, there were a lot of people glaring at me and we ended up having a discussion in the living room.

"Tora-chan, how long did you know?"

"The whole time".

"You were working with Kinuta-san? How?"

"Ah, it appears he also has a rather young daughter and so…well…"

I ended up flustered as I blushed a bit.

"…he has a soft spot for small, young children".

In other words, Kinuta had willingly helped me in regards to the press conference.

"Why did you never tell us?!"

"You never asked, and it was kind of weird that none of you ever had a conversation near me that could lead into it but that was what happened".

In other words, the reason I did not tell them was because I had no chance to. Although I was still totally in the dark about the fact they had been following me. And so…

"How did you know, anyways?"

"We heard it from Kinuta…"

I never really checked that story, but in truth Rindo did do that so the reasoning would hold up.

"And why is Shobu-kun here?"

"…we wanted to celebrate…and Jin-san invited us…"

"So yeah, we can party about how it all went great, right Ame?"

"I suppose it should be fine".

And that point, I could follow everything up to that point but…

"And them?"

There were three others that were also there.

"We came to party also!"

"Plus no hard feelings for what happens next B-Rank Wars!"

"Hey hey Tora-chi! Let's play!"

Senzai Squad also appeared, and reminded me of something. Before the strategy session that I was invited to that would help plan the raid on Colsaria, there would be another B-Rank Wars match. And one of our opponents this time would be Senzai Squad.

Yes, even though the invasion happened, the B-Rank Wars were still on. And this time, our opponents would likely be even tougher. All that made sense but…

"Don't forget about us!"

"Temba Squad?!"

"Sorry we are late!"

"No one recalls inviting you!"

For no real reason at all, Temba Squad showed up out of nowhere to join the party…and then maybe a few others.

At that point, I decided to just stop minding it and enjoy the party that I don't recall when it even became a part in the first place with all of them regardless of the weird number of party crashers we got at the end for no conceivable reason.

* * *

AN: Well now, that was a fun, interesting, and developing chapter. A bit of foreshadowing, and maybe there was a hint or two? Then again, isn't that what foreshadowing is? Anyways, here is the question of the chapter! What is your favorite chapter/group of chapters so far?


	26. The Other Squads

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 24: The Other Squads

(Cylian POV)

"Mhhhhmmmmmm…is it morning yet?"

Cylian found his consciousness floating back into his head as he felt warm morning light bask his entire body. It was already well filling into the room, and was reaching quite a level of brightness. The bed he was on was king sized, but the twelve year old was not alone on it. Nestled on either side of him was Roku and Yachi, who were also still waking up, and the sun was basking all three of their naked bodies.

As for why they were like this, it was their habit from the orphanage. It had been so poor it barely got by as it was. They never had the spare money for even a third meal, nor could they provide pyjammas even for them. They could barely provide normal clothes, and most of what they did get was hand-me-downs. Furthermore, they could not even afford to get a bed for everyone.

It probably would have been closed down soon, except then the invasion happened and everyone's focus got shifted.

Actually, although their habit of sleeping in the same bed together naked was the same, and they donated most of the money they earned from Border to their orphanage to help it improve, they kept enough for themselves to have better conditions then they ever had in the orphanage as well. Originally, the three of them had to squeeze into one small bed, which was why when they slept they tended to sleep right next to each other to where they were overlapping. They still did that, but the bed they had now was a king sized bed of incredible quality that let them get better sleep then they ever had in the past.

"It looks like…"

"…its been morning for awhile".

The three of them had been raised in poor settings, so when they slept on a bed of this quality they became deep sleepers. As Roku and Yachi wiped the sleepiness from their eyes, Cylian managed to sit up. Around the bed, their clothes from yesterday were scattered around in a mess.

"We should probably wash them, so that Kasumi-neechan doesn't get mad at us".

"Then I will start making breakfast!"

"And I will set the table!"

The trio ignored their current state though as they got out of bed and acted like everything was normal. Well, for them it was normal because this trio were the only people who lived in this apartment. They lived on their own, took care of everything on their own, and when they didn't, their operator would come over, scold them, and then help them deal with it.

Because of that, days like this were normal for them without anyone noticing.

The trio actually lived in a nice apartment too. There was a bath big enough for all three of them to fit at once, plus extra room. They also had their own bathroom, a living room and kitchen, a guest bedroom, a spare bathroom, a few closets, their own washer and dryer, and all the appliances one could need. An oven, a fridge, a microwave, freezer. They even had one of those vacuum robots. Not to mention the sofa, large screen TV, gaming systems, and games.

So why was Temba Squad always low on money when they actually got all this, and neglected buying more clothes for themselves and washing clothes and had used their Triggers Trion Forms for clothing?

That was because, aside from them being boys and having a few warped standards from the previous way of living, they wanted to live in the luxury they always dreamed of independent from everyone else while still donating what they could to their orphanage. That was why they ended up making some weird cuts to their costs.

Of course, recently they had come into a large sum of money. That was because of the awards given out during the invasion. In fact, they actually received multiple rewards because they single handedly held off an entire large group of Neighbors from reaching the base. Because of that, each single one of them was awarded the Special Distinguished Service Award which gave them 1.5 million Yen and 1500 points individually, and as a technical excuse they also awarded their Operator 1.5 million yen with the same award. Then, they each got awarded another eight hundred thousand yen and 800 points. In other words, the total monetary reward given to Temba Squad as a whole was 8.4 million yen. Even though they didn't face down a Black Trigger User, they were considered to have had the largest impact on the battle as they defeated over one thousand Trion Soldiers, including newtypes never seen before, and as a result allowed for multiple other squads including Subaru Squad, Kazuma Squad, and the scattered members of Tamakoma-1 from having to change locations and instead let them focus on the Black Trigger Users and Champions.

That was why they received so much rewards. Out of every squad, their actions probably had the greatest impact on the battle.

One would think that would eliminate all their money problems, but…

"By the way, did you hear? It was successful!"

"Woo hoo!"

"That's great!"

"…it used most of the reward, but whatever! We still have a good bit saved over plus what we already saved".

They used a large portion of it so that their previous orphanage would get a complete remodeling, have more bathrooms, more beds, more food and appliances. And during this time, they would be staying in a high quality hotel since they couldn't stay there. It was rather expensive, but in the end it would probably turn what used to be a barely getting by, dirt poor orphanage into one of the highest quality orphanages in the city, maybe even the world. Well, because of size issues there would still probably be shared baths, but the trio had been raised with those so they saw no problem with it.

But now, they would be a lot better off.

For the record, there were others who also got a reward. To those who got the Special Distinguished Service Rewards, those would be Tora, who cut a line right through Neighbor forces, defeated multiple Newtypes, defeated multiple Humanoid Neighbors with Vehicle Triggers, and finished off a Champion, Amo who succeeded in defeating a Champion one on one without any help at all, Reiji who succeeded in defending an entire area solo and then damaged the Champion Tora finished off, Tachikawa who single handed cleared an entire area, took out multiple Bomber Type Trion Soldiers singlehandedly, and then repelled an invasion of Trion Soldiers into HQ, and Konami who fought well solo against an enhanced Colsaria Black Trigger User and defeated multiple Colsaria Vehicle Trigger Users.

As for the Outstanding Distinguished Service Awards, Midorikawa and Miwa got it for also fighting the Humanoid Neighbors and their Vehicle Triggers. Subaru Squad and Karasuma for defeating a Black Trigger user from Colsaria. Kazuma Squad, Senzai Squad, and Tenryu Squad for holding key critical areas and assisting at key moments against the Champion. Although Kazuma Squad never showed up, they were actually holding off an onslaught of Trion Soldiers. Additionally, Arashiyama Squad also gained one for dealing with multiple threats against Civilian targets, more then any other squad. Izumi, Ninomiya, Azuma, Sarah and Bakaro Squad for delaying the Champion and buying both Reiji and Tora time before they had to fight it.

After that, everyone else who were in the Civilian Zones got Exceptional Distinguished Service Rewards for doing a great job of responding and keeping civilians safe. Also, Tsukiko Squad and Jin received them for holding off an entire swarm of Drones that the enemy had used to try and eliminate them. And then supposedly one more was given out, but the intel on that one was hidden or vague.

Well, it meant that given so many awards were given out that it was time to celebrate.

"Alright, breakfast is ready!"

Even though they had not gotten dressed yet, they still ended up sitting side by side at the kitchen counter. The twins had made scrambled eggs, bacon, some English Muffins, and some orange juice. After giving thanks, they began to devour it as if they lacked all manners.

One could clearly see how the way they were raised had effected them, but given everything some might be able to see they turned out quite well, albiet weird.

And so as they were eating, the door to their apartment was unlocked and opened and their operator ended up walking in to check on them.

"What was this I heard about you crashing a party the oth…seriously you three! You should at least get dressed before you have breakfast!"

"But what if we accidentally get something on our clothes?"

"Yeah. This way all we have to do is get some paper towels…"

"…and wipe each other clean!"

As they said this with faces full of smiles, all their operator could do was twitch. That was because while she understood the logic they were using, it was still very weird and abnormal logic unique to them.

"You…morons! Well, whatever! Don't forget what you have to do later today! You three have been called into help do the announcements for the upcoming B-Rank Wars match!"

"Oh yeah! They called all three of us for some reason! That is unusual".

"I think they called in Shinoda-san as well…"

"…how did they manage to work that into his schedule, I wonder...".

"You three better behave yourselves, got it? And so help me, you better wear normal clothes or I will give the three of you to Suzu!"

She said that in a somewhat threatening tone that made them shrink back.

"Understood!"

She took a deep breath, then walked and stood across the counter from them like nothing was wrong.

"So, what happened?"

"We scheduled a sleepover with Tora-kun here tonight! When Tora-kun met Sthenos-chan, he had a weird look on his face, but then when Sarah-neechan mentioned that after such a day Tora-kun needed a bath, Sthenos-chan was the one that picked Tora-kun up somehow while taking off her own clothes and rushed towards the bath!"

"Did anything normal happen at that party?"

"Well, that actually happened near the end. Before that, there were a lot of games and snacks. We recommended some manga and animes to Tora and Mimik, like Assassination Classroom and Super Dog Rilienthal and whatnot!"

"I see…"

"Oh, Konami-neechan and Tora-kun got tricked by Kyosuke-niichan! And Senzai Squad laughed at our jokes! Also, we managed to defeat Jin-niichan at Mario Kart! He was really surprised!"

From what their operator heard, it appeared the party was actually mostly normal after all. They just brought up the big events first for some reason.

"I wonder, how is Senzai Squad and Arafune Squad going to deal with them?"

"I am just glad we don't have to deal with Arafune Squad. They always mess us up".

* * *

(Senzai POV)

"Hey everyone! Sorry we were late, but this one was being a pain and didn't want to get dressed".

"I don't see the point! We were just coming to the base, and I always feel more comfortable when I sleep or am awake without these clothes things".

"You, Sthenos. Behave. Anyways, what do we have on the data for Tamakoma?"

"Seriously captain? Haven't we been over this a number of times? We just beat back an Invasion and you keep wanting to go over about workstuff!"

"Okay, then tell me. Do you have a sound strategy of how to beat Tora-kun yet?"

To that question, Senzai Squad's sniper Ite Shingai gave a troubled face.

"I could try sniping at him from long range".

"Yeah, but it seems he has good awareness of his surroundings and is highly agile. He will probably dodge you, and then Daisuke or Arafune Squad will snipe you. I mean, at the very least we can choose the map".

"I think that we can't make it a cityscape map. Especially one advantageous for snipers! We gotta get up close and play!"

"Well, it will be you three doing the fighting, but if I had to recommend a location I would say the Industrial Zone would be best. To be exact, Industrial Zone B. There is one sniper location that if you can take advantage of, will let you have a good watch on several locations, while it would provide enough cover from their own snipers so long as you take that spot. There are also plenty of places for Sthenos to fight in shooter range".

"Hmmm. Industrial Zone B. Its an oddball of the industrial zones because there are still plenty of zones to snipe in, but not so advantageous for them as to have Arafune Squad take the advantage".

"Even though I am the sniper of our group, I have no confidence fighting the dedicated sniper squad in a shoot out. This map would let me shoot without having to worry about that as much so this is good for me".

"And I will have plenty of room for my own shoot outs!"

"The next step is who we will go up against. First off…even though I am the captain, there is no way I will win against Tora-kun. Our strengths are just too different, he would overwhelm me. At least I have a good shot at winning if I went after Daisuke or Sarah, but I think I should go after Sarah. She will be less likely to Tamahawk me if I close the distance with Thruster while shielding myself with Raygurst".

"Hey, hey…this is quite the bit of tactical information you got. Where did you get this all".

"…she wants Sthenos to comment on the next match they have".

"Wait, what?!"

"Since we were on Defense Duty during their last B-Rank Wars, I had to get the commentary notes from Sakurako Taketome-san, and in the process I ended up being offered additional tactical information as well in exchange for that…I hope it was not a mistake, but I felt like if I didn't we wouldn't stand a chance".

"Hold on. Just why does Taketome-san have the commentary data? While recordings of the rank wars are saved, the commentaries can only be heard life…"

"Ah. It's a secret, so only a few of us know, but she secretly has recorded all the audio from all the Rank Wars Battles. Pretty sure she is even right now, she is in her private room in HQ listening to them all while grinning…"

"…oookkkkaay, moving on. So, Arafune Squad will probably end up being the wildcard in this, since while it should shut them out from being too dangerous there is still a chance of them being a threat. But once we deal with Tamakoma, the rest of us should be able to defeat Arafune Squad. However, leaving the three of them alone would be problematic so we should try to take out at least one member of Arafune Squad early game".

"I think we should send Sthenos to fight Tora, since Tora is their attacker. It seems he uses that dangerous Cyclone/Scorpion Combo. Furthermore, his stats are outrageous so we should definently not fight him up close. In fact, we absolutely have to avoid getting up close to Tora. Based on the data I got from Temba Squad's fight with them, it would automatically lead to our defeat".

"So then I will be covering and probably going after Shinya-kun who will probably be also heading towards the sniper spots. Well, regardless of what we chose it was always going to be disadvantageous for me in this situation. Still, Senshi, Sthenos, you will be doing a lot of the work this time around. Sorry".

"Relax, Ita-nee! Sthenos will handle everything!"

"Don't worry about it. That is what a team is for".

"Thanks".

"So now that everything is set, the only wildcard is who will Arafune go after?"

"Yay! Relaxing time!"

"I gu…no, Sthenos! No!"

"Awwwww…can I at least go play with Tora-chi?"

"No no no! He is in the middle of preparing for Rank Wars! Or recovering from the invasion! Or both!"

Suddenly, Shingai got an idea and pulled Senshi off to the side.

"Hey hey, I just thought of something…wouldn't it be great if we got Tora and Sthenos together after this?"

"Wait wait…what?"

"Think about it. Out of all the people who we could trust Sthenos with…"

"…you are right, Tora is probably the only one she could have any relationship with at all. Well, given the two will fight each other in the Rank Wars we can use that to see their compatibility".

And so, Suzu no longer had a monopoly on shipping people from that day forward.

* * *

(Arafune POV)

"So, I guess break time is over. What do we know about the other two teams, Tamakoma and Senzai?"

"Both teams have an attacker, a shooter, and a sniper. But for each team, it's a bit different. Although all are capable of scoring points, the Captain of Senzai Squad is the attacker while the Captain of Tamakoma-2 is the Shooter. Furthermore, although all members of Tamakoma-2 are able to score points, they clearly have an Ace in Agent Rokuda".

"You know, its just occurred to me that we are probably one of the few people who actually use Agent Rokuda's last name".

"Indeed. Well, we can think on that later though. Right now, we should focus on the matter at hand. There is no defined ace on Senzai Squad, but all three are still capable of scoring points. Which means, the most dangerous one is Tamakoma-2".

"With Agent Rokuda's sheer skill and power, he is actually strong enough and good enough that he can easily outdo anyone in a one on one fight. He might even be capable of taking on entire Squad's solo, like that perfect All Rounder Tamakoma-1 has. Simply put, the kid has a lot of power and he knows how to fight. The only thing he really lacks is experience. He has power, and he does have skill, but he does not have experience putting that skill to use in a real world situation where there are no defined rules. As such, it should still be possible to surprise him with our own tactics and get away with quite a bit when fighting him".

"So in a way, he is the opposite of Ko. While Ko has built up all those experiences without putting in as much effort due to his side effect, Tora has put in a large amount of effort but has yet to get as much experience using what he has".

"Oi, don't say that, Ko has put in plenty of effort. Learning experience alone wont do much…but on that note, it means that Agent Rokuda is dangerous".

"That is true. But honestly, there is one person who may be an even bigger threat to us on that team. Experience is all well and good, but if we snipe Agent Rokuda from a distance he wont be able to do a thing. However, what concerns me is both snipers on either side. Agent Shinya is said to be a sniper that has unnatural aim as if it's a Side Effect, and Agent Shingai is also an exceptional sniper for their team and has that luck Side Effect…also, I just realized the snipers for both teams have Shin in them".

"Right, that is good to note. I don't think we can underestimate either one. We should focus on taking out their snipers first, and then eliminating the others one by one. But just in case, we should probably all prepare a bit of a surprise just in case".

"Agreed. Even if we are not proficient in it, it would be better then not having it and needing it".

"Besides, I feel like Agent Rokuda might still have some tricks in store, and that Senzai Squad might also have a plan in mind".

* * *

(Kinuta POV)

Meanwhile, at the research and development branch of Border, things were in a buzz. That was because of course they had gotten hold of multiple Neighbor Triggers thanks to Tora, Konami, Midorikawa, and Miwa, as well as multiple new types of Trion Soldiers with various new abilities.

Needless to say, they were having a field day with how things were going. And because the press conference went the way he wanted, Kinuta himself was in a good mood, which meant his employees were also in a good mood for multiple reasons.

In other words, the Engineering Department was making fantastic progress. They were not even too miffed at the fact Colsaria Triggers seemed to be encoded to prevent theft or breakdown, but considered it a challenge.

Vehicle Triggers. Although it was not unheard of, they were usually used for defense or the elite of Neighbor Nations so they never had a chance to get good sample. Any attempt to do so was high risk. Although the Trigger users themselves managed to do some sort of recall, Tora and the others recovered multiple Triggers.

"If I am right, Tora-chan…err, Agent Rokuda likely did that on purposefully to keep favorable position. Indeed, the press conference was a rather unpleasant attempt to dismiss blame from them using him, though it seemed like that damned Netsuki is the main force behind that. Well, the other Directors were very supportive of Agent Rokuda after bringing us this haul. He certainly held up his end of the deal".

The deal that Kinuta spoke of was the one he made with Border to join, about using him as bait to gain Colsaria Triggers. And certainly, he had now fulfilled that role splendidly. With all these Triggers, and Vehicle Triggers no less, it was a great boon for Border as they now had plenty of Triggers to research. Although Colsaria Trigger Users were enhanced so there would probably be only a handful who could use a Vehicle Trigger, it was still something that could give them an advantage.

Yet something that Kinuta had to note was that a few of the Recovered Triggers were like Mideens, in the fact that they were actually cases that contained multiple Triggers one could use. In other words there were cases where they could also have diverse fighters. And furthermore, three of them had the storage capacity for twelve Triggers, with each slot having four. And then finally…

"The hell is this even for…is it robotic, or…something else?"

There were also three objects that looked like tails.

"Could it be…they use this to use three Triggers at once?"

Kinuta did not like the idea of the raiding team getting overwhelmed by the advantage they usually possessed. And then as he looked back at the Triggers, he started to think of some ideas.

"First off, I should deliver what I already finished. At least we managed to complete this at least. It should be well accepted and probably will become well liked".

And so the man then returned to focusing on his work, while he was still in a good mood.

* * *

(Yumi POV)

"Muuuuuuu! I wanted to get more sleep in!"

"Come on now, Captain. Temba Squad is apparently providing commentary today, and its Tamakoma-2 vs Senzai Squad vs Arafune Squad".

"I know I know, I just really wanted to keep resting up since the invasion. You know, we had to fight a Black Trigger user!"

"Didn't you completely dominate that Black Trigger User with Martial Arts though? That and Scorpion?"

"It was still stressful!"

"I feel like our Captain is always able to surprise us with her personality".

"Agreed!"

"Yep yep!"

"Hey!"

As Subaru Squad walked around the base like this, they ended up running into another team they did not expect to see.

"Nasu Squad. What are you doing here?"

"Killing time before we watch the upcoming B-Rank Wars match".

"Ehhh? Are you interested in Tamakoma-2?"

"Extremely".

"Huh?"

Because Subaru Squad did not expect Nasu's answer to be so frank, they were a bit shocked. Also because she actually agreed.

"Agent Rokuda is quite promising, and he will be playing a big role in the raid on Colsaria just like us".

"Wait, Nasu Squad is going?"

"Because Tora already explained to them that if they wanted to have a good chance of defeating them, they would need people good at using and learning the terrain to take that advantage away from them, and because we would want to be able to take enemies out without having to be in their line of sight. That is why someone like myself, who is good with maps and a skilled Viper user, is going to be accepted onto the raid team. Besides, their Captain Sarah Williams interests me as she is also a fellow Viper user".

"I see. Well, I hear they are still making decisions on others, but I think you can count Subaru Squad as being on it. Glad to be working with you".

"Same, Yumi-chan. Well, we better get going. Since pretty soon, the B-Rank Wars will begin".

"I wonder if Taketome-san will be commentating again?"

"She really seems to love it".

* * *

AN: And so the next B-Rank Wars Match is here! Tamakoma-2 vs Senzai vs Arafune! Will the strategy Senzai Squad come up with work. Who will Arafune target? Hehehe...I might know, but I want you to guess! Also, what has been your favorite Rank Wars Match that you have watched or read?

Also, what is everyone's favorite Side Effect? Feel free to choose Canon or OC. If you have a tie, you can say what tied.


	27. Partial Side Chapter 2: The Second Intro

(Yep! That's right! Its time for the second Intro Song! Given what has happened, and what will happen, it was fitting to put it here)

(By the way, the song is Dive by Man with a Mission. And at the start, there are certain musical syncs you may need to pay attention to in the song to get the flow. Its nothing too attention consuming though, I factored it in because it was noticable)

* * *

(Music Starts here)

(See Tora, Daisuke, and Sarah gathered up together in Trigger form, smiling. Daisuke and Sarah then pick Tora up and throw him a bit into the air before catching him)

(About 6 seconds in nonlyrics music before the lyrics start)

(Switch to Temba Squad standing as a trio in trigger form, all of which then fall backwards but instead of falling to the ground, are supported by each others backs)

(About 12 seconds in nonlyrics music)

(Switch to Bakaro Squad, with the two female members hugging Sora while all in Trigger form)

(About 16 seconds in)

(Show all the squads and others standing on the roof on the Border Base)

I wanna be certain from the start

(Tora looks at Mimik, Mimik nods)

Before I dance into the fire

(Sarah and Daisuke pat him on the shoulders)

The conflict of my endless spiral

(The trio look off into the sunrise)

All of my reasons fall apart

(Tora looks at his hand, and then ahead)

And never reach that true desire

(Tora sheds a tear, and then grips his hands)

On with the denial

(The Trio look onward with resolve)

Kare ta mirai yakiharau hodo no

(Temba Squad and Bakaro Squad fully prepare themselves, checking their own weapons)

Sekai no setsuri kutsugaesu mahō o

(Tsukiko and Senzai Squads are also looking forward with confident and excited expressions)

Kudaranai to sa re ta kono risō mo

(The scene focus back on the trio that stretch a little)

Hotobashira se ta mama

(The trio then begins to run towards the edge, and everyone else chases after them)

I'm gonna dive today sonzai o shimesu akashi

(Everyone dives off the edge and into a Gate)

Onore no imi o sagashi te

(They all go through en mass)

I'm gonna dive today kō ga michibiku mama ni

(They reappear through another gate high in the sky, over a huge forested area with a large, ominous research building in sight)

Rising up coming up

(Various forms of Trion Soldiers emerge from the forest as they decent, and weapons are fired from the defense facility).

I live to dive another day

(Various people deploy heavy shields and multiple shields)

I'm not gonna fall into the dark

(Temba Squad fires their Ibis cannons, and other snipers also fire)

Just nēd to cut these binding wires

(Tora and various attackers pull out their weapons as they approach, and cut various flying Trion Soldiers apart as they fall)

A chance for my disclosure

(Shooters and gunners open fire as they near the ground)

Nothing is certain from the start

(As they all land, they see the research facility. Meanwhile, Kranz is standing on top with various scientists, Colsaria Soldiers, Trion Soldiers, and a new Champion)

Find something else to take me higher

(Tora grits at first, but then charges forward with others behind him)

Hope I'm getting closer

(A large scale Trion Soldier stands in Tora's way, but then Miwa cuts it down as he glares at him)

And they say I will never end this story

(Tora nods, and he keeps charging)

But I'm the one that 's making my own history

(Miwa's sister is seen sitting in a cell, holding her hands together)

Torikoboshi ta kioku wa kazoe zu ni

(A shadow is seen approaching the base from a different direction, smashing through Trion Soldiers while remaining unseen)

Gunjō no yume no saki e

(Tora and several others keep fighting, through the forest and research facility)

I'm gonna dive today sonzai o shimesu akashi

Na mo naki hoshi ni kizan de

(Show various squads fighting)

I'm gonna dive today kō ga michibiku mama ni

Rising up coming up

(Shows Kido watching over the situation, looking unphased)

I live to dive another day

No truth no lie everyone writes their own story

(As Tora fights, he flashbacks to his time there)

Nothing to hide just gotta take the jōrney

Sink or swim no one wins

(Tora gets beaten down by Kranz)

Unless they push the bōndaries

(But he stands up once more)

Kano hi no ryūsei oikake te ta toki no yō ni

I'm gonna dive today sonzai o shimesu akashi

(The other squads dive in and fight more)

Onore no imi o sagashi te

I'm gonna dive today kō ga michibiku mama ni

(Tora dives through flames with Miwa into the facility)

Rising up coming up I live to dive another

(Tora gets helped up by an unknown shadow)

Dive today just dive today

Never except that fate if it ' s no use for me

(Tora looks forward, as he is faced against a Champion and Kranz)

I wanna dive today wake up when I hit bottom

(Tora charges again while summoning a cube of Trion in one hand and a blade in the other)

Rising up coming up I live to dive another day

(And the two sides clash)

* * *

(Well that was huge and action packed and fun! But if you think this is enough to understand what will happen, think again! I have quite the number of surprises in store...heehee)


	28. B-RW: Tamakoma-2 vs Senzai vs Arafune

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 25: B-Rank Wars: Tamakoma-2 vs. Senzai Squad vs. Arafune Squad

(Commentators POV)

Instead of the usual three, today there were five people squeezed into the commentators section. Well, only three of them were really squeezed in as they were all sharing the same seat, yet those three somehow made it work probably because they were used to it or something. They were Temba Squad, the resident goofballs of Border, though there were others who were also goofballs like them.

As for the other two, one was a familiar face. Sakurako Taketome, someone who could pretty much be expected to appear commentating a Rank Wars battle, was in attendance. Yet next to her was…

"Where is Shinoda-san? He never replied canceling…"

"Of course he couldn't! That would be because he is so busy after the invasion and press conference he didn't even notice the message till five minutes ago, and asked me to fill in for him!"

It was Mizuki Totorori, of Bakaro Squad.

"Right, anyways! Welcome to this session of B-Rank Wars! I am your host, the ever common but quick witted commentator Sakurako Taketome! And today, I have with me all three members of the resident goofball Squad, who also single handedly took out a huge portion of Neighbor forces and even assisted against the dreaded Champions, the 'Trappiest Traps' Temba Squad!"

"…wait, did she just call us…"

"And as well, I have with me also Agent Mizuki Totorori from Bakaro Squad!"

"Heyo everyone! Its time for a good ol brawl here!"

"And today, we have three teams. The team that is leaving a lot of chaos in their wake, who took on Temba Squad and Suwa Squad and scored seven points, Tamakoma-2! Up against these upstarts, we have another squad leaving their names in the books this year, another group of promising rookies, Senzai Squad! And then finally, last but not least, the most experienced squad of the group, the sniper team Arafune Squad!"

"Trash em Tora!"

"Beat em Birthday Buddy!"

"You can do it, Tora!"

"…you three are rooting for the person who beat you? Also, Birthday Buddy?"

"Tora-kun doesn't know the real date he was born, just like us, so we offered to share the birthday we set for the three of us with him".

"Ah, I see…well, while we were talking about that we forgot to go on about the squads, and they locked the stage ahead of us!"

"It looks like…Industrial Site B? Ouch. Its not impossible for Snipers but…it wont be pretty. I guess Senzai Squad set that to shut down Arafune Squad and Tamakoma-2's sniper, but maybe its like this so their own sniper will still be of some use?"

To Mizuki's words, Cylian shook his head.

"No, the reason they did not use a map that shuts down snipers completely is probably Tora. They don't want to fight against such a strong attacker in a purely close quarters map. Plus, they want room to dodge Sarah's Tomahawk".

"I see. But there might also be more to it…ah! They are materializing in now!"

(Tora POV)

I materialized in just fine, and instantly I checked my surroundings while checking the built in Trigger, Radar. And when I checked it, I immediately activated Bagworm myself. That was because what I saw was that other then Sarah, everyone else had activated Bagworm. Arafune was understandable, but even Senzai Squad used it.

"Guys, it looks like it is a game of hide and seek".

Daisuke said that to us as he went and made preparations himself.

"They will probably focus on regrouping, and then focus on Sarah who doesn't currently have Bagworm".

"In that case, Sarah?"

"Mmmhmm. I will initiate our countermeasure to this. Make sure to stay in cover!"

"Right…also, what is hide and seek?"

(Senzai POV)

As the captain of Senzai squad ran around with Bagworm active, he already had a good idea of what to do. As per the plan, he would activate Bagworm.

Tora had ended up disappearing from radar, probably in reaction to everyone else using Bagworm, but Sthenos had checked immediately and saw a late reaction. Since it did not Bagworm immediately, it was almost certainly Tora.

Since they were sure about what Tora would do in this situation, Sthenos would act accordingly. Plus this would let her cover Shingai and maybe find Daisuke even, which would be a great harvest. Honestly, it was Arafune he considered being most concerned about. Tora was someone who had ability that surpassed reason, but he should be bad against a Shooter so long as Sthenos stayed at range. Reflectively, he had to go and take out Sarah as soon as possible…

"BOOOOOOM!"

Suddenly, several explosions rang out at once. One might think a battle had started, but…

"Guys! Don't panic too much, but Sarah has begun bombing the entire industrial complex!"

"What?!"

"As you know, this map is mainly one huge structure. Although there are several towers and large rooms, as well as outside parts, that snipers can make use of, there is only one really great sniper spot and most is indoors medium range to close range fighting. Well, I got lucky and appeared near the tower, but Sarah just bombed it! She bombed the whole thing!"

"That is not all, is it?"

"She also shut down several access routes. In fact, she destroyed all the normal routes a person could get to the room she is in! She is isolated from everyone, but because of her ability…"

It meant that she could attack anyone once they got revealed on the map or by her team using Tomahawk, but to get to get and take her out would be difficult. And given Senzai's bad luck…

"I see. Change in plans, I will hunt Arafune Squad first while a method to reach her and take her out is found. Keep me updated, Tekitai-san!"

(Commentators POV)

"Wow! That was good!"

"Wait? Cylian, didn't you guys do that to them during their last match?"

"Yeah! We bombed Daisuke like that! Well, its different because they did it prematurely".

Indeed, last B-Rank Wars that Tamakoma-2 AKA Williams Squad had been in, Temba Squad had bombed the hell out of two different sniper locations. One forced Daisuke away from a sniper position, and the other actually got him and scored them a point.

"It looks like each team is moving with a stealth game, but the issue is that if Tamakoma-2 finds you your entire position will get bombed immediately. Although, with an interior map it might be tougher for Sarah because of all the turns so there is probably a limit on how far she can cover right now".

"Still, with her isolated like that, she can attack all she wants and wont have to worry about defending".

"Indeed, there is enough room between the objects to fire out from but not enough to get in, and she has positioned herself in a spot that no one can see her in. Of course, there is one method…but if anyone uses that, they will reveal their location as well".

"So who is hiding from who exactly? Senzai Squad picked the map so they probably have a plan, Arafune is a team of snipers and is at a disadvantage, but can also take out anyone with a single shot, and Tamakoma-2 has Agent Williams and Agent Rokuda, both of which could eliminate everyone".

"No, you are all wrong…"

"…because its not any of them".

The twins spoke out against Mizuki and Sakurako. This caused Mizuki to aggressively grab them by the shirts and lock eyes with Roku and Yachi.

"Da hell does that mean?!"

"The one they are actually hiding from right now is Daisuke".

(Hokari POV)

"Tsk! Did she just bomb all the best sniper spots? Hey, how are you two doing?"

"We are regrouping. How close are you?"

"Getting there. I am just about to…"

Suddenly, as Agent Atsushi Hokari of Arafune Squad turned a corner, he saw a glint from across the way and immediately tried to back up but…

Before he could even put up a shield, an Egret shot came from behind and got him in the chest. It would have been in the head, but while he had been unable to put up a shield he had managed to realize the bad position he was in and pushed himself back immediately. He then took cover behind a wall, but that shot had been close and he was leaking Trion.

"Sorry guys, but when I tried to find a route, several were blocked by wreckage. It was random at first and I was careful not to take the ideal route but…it seems a killbox was set up. I think it is Agent Shinya, they anticipated us".

Even if they did not know who everyone was, they had a general idea of the start locations. Therefore, Sarah and Daisuke had teamed up. Sarah only bombed some areas while Daisuke set up in a route one of them would take. They did not know who it would be, but they knew that out of the six out there someone would take it.

Agent Hokari figured that Sarah had already fired too, and that Tomahawk was on the way. Which meant he only had a few seconds before he had to move. He immediately prepped his weapon and planned to fire.

But before that, several Viper shots came out of nowhere and pierced him from behind.

"Central Trion Core Breached. Bail out".

He saw a small glimpse of Shingai right as he bailed out.

(Sthenos POV)

"I managed to get a point from Tamakoma! Actually, I got really lucky this time. Arafune walked into an ambush I myself was about to walk into".

"Good job! I am on my way towards Tora-chi right now!"

"You sure you know where he will show up?"

Their operator cut in at this point.

"It is one of the few routes that Sarah did not block. I bet this was done to purposefully lead people into situations disadvantageous for the other teams and good for them. We might have picked the map, but I think Sarah may have already memorized numerous maps, maybe even all of them".

"But I bet no one will expect my entrance! Its now, right?"

"Yeah, do it Sthenos!"

Sthenos was running along the roof of the industrial complex, but after she received confirmation, she brought out a huge amount of meteora and smashed the roof below her open and jumped in, already preparing the next attack. And surely enough, there was a young boy with white hair and red eyes waiting near the entrance in front of her.

"Tora-chi sighted! Asteroid!"

"Grasshopper!"

Sthenos immediately attacked Tora with an Asteroid that was focused on speed, but as expected from someone who was known for his speed and mobility he still dodged. His Cyclones were already in hand too, and he charged towards Sthenos without delay. But Sthenos did not hesitate either, not even after she made the attack, and had already backed up and started again.

Even normal humans might not be able to do that with Triggers, but Sthenos was not a normal human. It was unknown to most people even in Border, but she was a Trion Soldier. She did not remember where she came from or how she got to earth though, nor why she had a human like appearance as if she was a ten year old girl. But she did know she had free will, and she could do what she wanted. Although, Senshi Senzai, her captain and the one who found her, was often telling her to try and be more normal.

But, lately she had been interested in something. Or, someone rather. The boy, the Neighbor, Tora Rokuda. As a Trion Soldier, she could sense Trion levels and found Tora's Trion Level extremely high and attractive. And so while maybe normally she might not pay as much attention, she had taken an interest in Tora.

And after meeting with him and interacting with him a few times…

"You are a really fun person!"

"You…don't be so unreasonable!"

"Nope! I love saying that to people!"

As the two interacted, they were actually in a fierce fight. Actually, Tora did not really talk often in combat unless necessary with few exceptions, yet Sthenos who had ended up sort of being embarrassing and weird tended to affect him. Well, that and while she was similar to something he hated, she tended to act in a way that threw him off from that.

He tried to get up close to her and cut her down, but she used Shields to block the Cyclones. Although one shield could stop one Cyclone, it could not stop it completely. It was more like the blade got through, but not the handle, so if one blocked too close it would be bad. But she had managed to block at an ideal range.

Actually, she was being extremely careful with her range right now. She was far enough from Tora to be outside his attack range, but close enough so Sarah would not Tomahawk her without hitting Tora. Even if she could bombard at range, without eyesight it was difficult to do pinpoint accuracy so that was why she used Tomahawk and not just Vipers.

At the moment, Sthenos' team was winning with the only point on the board, but that did not mean they were in the clear. No, actually it made things a bit more difficult because Williams Squad could move a bit easier without worrying about Arafune Squad. And because they had gotten the point, Arafune Squad would be more wary of them now and not Williams Squad, AKA Tamakoma-2.

Well, they wouldn't disregard them at all though, that was for sure.

Tora was fast, scary fast though. Sthenos thought her speed was pretty good, but she had nothing on Tora. He was on a whole different level, the level of a Neighbor.

Vehicle Triggers, especially Colsaria Vehicle Triggers, should be extremely dangerous and difficult to beat, moreso then normal humanoid neighbors with Triggers. And yet, Tora, Konami, Miwa, and Midorikawa were able to take on several. No, it should be said most were taken down by Tora. He was someone who they trained to be a Champion after all.

Of course, he was getting help from Daisuke sniping their critical points from a distance as well, so there was that.

Still, Sthenos could feel the skill and power that was inside him.

She was just barely able to dodge his attacks, and he was drawing ever closer. As an Attacker he was extremely dangerous. If she let him get too close, she would be done for. Especially since…

"Wowza!"

"Tsk".

He still had Scorpion. He tried to use Mole Claws and stab her through the ground, but she anticipated it and dodged the attack. She was sensitive to Trion after all.

 _All I gotta do is keep him at range and beat him. Or at least hold him off till someone else comes to help._

She launched another blast of asteroid at him, but also released a few hounds from behind as well that mixed in. And yet, he managed to dodge all the vipers splendidly even though normally people could not dodge hound. Sthenos was caught off guard by that and he used it to close the gap…

But instead of being attacked, Tora was forced to back up as a sniper shot whizzed to where his head was about to be at. No, Sthenos saw it. He backed up BEFORE the shot was fired.

"Sorry Sthenos, he noticed me".

"No, he didn't Shin-nee! I saw it, he anticipated the blow".

"A Side Effect? We figured he had one, but to think he had a prediction one…wait! Sthenos! We have to switch targets now!"

Sthenos understood the issue at hand. If Tora had a prediction Side Effect, it would be difficult for snipers and shooters to defeat him. Even worse, it meant that Arafune Squad was nothing but points for him, because he would dodge all their shots.

"You know I cant stop playing with someone so interesting!"

Sthenos had her own reasons, but she also understood that if she left Tora would begin a search and sweep for Arafune Squad's remaining members if she let him be. Since Arafune Squad was all snipers, it would be impossible for them to defeat Tora. Snipers in general would have the worst affinity against Tora's Side Effect.

And all of Senzai Squad knew she was right. If she stopped keeping Tora occupied, now that his ambush was gone, all he would do was sweep and clear. They would have to wrestle every point from Tora at that point, and the only person who was an attacker already had poor affinity against Tora.

No, in a sense this was what made Tora difficult to fight. Long ranged attacks would get predicted, and Tora was brutally trained so that he excelled in close range combat. No, he was tortured into having that skill level, which made it even more dangerous.

But Sthenos could not help but also find his circumstances sad. Which was why…

"I think ima get a tad bit serious now".

She said that while bringing out both Asteroid and Meteora at once. And instead of small cubes, they were big ones. Sthenos normally kept Trion in reserve for the long battle, but she had decided the best chance of victory was a full out assault.

(Shingai POV)

Meanwhile, the sniper of Senzai Squad was moving around as well. She had to keep track on Daisuke, who she had figured out the location of, but she had given up on the idea of a sniper war. No, instead she would use Viper and get him from up close. She would not leave any chance for error at this point.

She just managed to make it to the door that would lead into his next sniper position, which was the roof access of the safety watch tower. There was nowhere to escape, and she made sure to have practiced Birdcage so he would have no escape.

"I am about to hit Agent Shinya. How are you doing Captain?"

"Ah, my luck got bad again…"

(Senzai POV)

"Ah, my luck got bad again…"

He could not help but say that, as he ran into the two remaining members of Arafune Squad. And even more notable, Arafune had drawn his Kogetsu already.

"Well, I suppose I should at least try to score one point".

* * *

AN: Alright! I hope you all enjoyed! And how do you like the new intro song? Given the upcoming Arc, I thought it fit well. Anyways, tell me, who is your favorite OC Squad right now, and who is your favorite Canon Squad other then Mikumo Squad? Why?


	29. B-RW:Tamakoma-2 vs Senzai vs Arafune (2)

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 26: Tamakoma-2 vs. Senzai Squad vs. Arafune Squad

(Senshi POV)

He knew this was nowhere near a good matchup. Two versus one, and Arafune had pulled out his Kogetsu. This was undoubtably a situation where he would get defeated. He couldn't ask for help from Sthenos, and there was no way Shingai could get to him.

But, he did have one idea.

He immediately deployed Grasshopper and propelled himself towards the other member of Arafune Squad, and then used Thruster on his Raygurst to accelerate further to launch a super quick surprise strike. And yet, his Raygurst was blocked in a clean movement by Arafune Squad. He managed to use Grasshopper again to get some distance though, before the second attack took off his head. It appeared that the battle would not be so easy.

"Guys, I may need help here".

"Sorry…"

That was all he heard from Shingai, and then a bail out was indicated to them.

* * *

(Shingai POV)

Turning back time a little…

The moment Shingai heard that Senzai was against two members of Arafune, she knew that he was in trouble. She decided to quickly take Daisuke Shinya out and then help her captain, and so she stormed in and…

Suddenly, the entire area around her had activation symbols for mines placed by Switchbox, and there was a Sentry Turret by the window Daisuke had just jumped out of that opened fire on her. Even if Shingai possessed a Side Effect that gave Good Luck, this was a situation where luck was not involved at all and luck was not so omni potent as to make everything winnable.

But, she did not want to give up her prey either and in her last act, she used all the Trion she could muster to launch a surprise Viper attack on Daisuke even though he was out of eyesight now. After that, the explosions completely swarmed her as the turret fired at her only escape, and the damage forced a bail out with her muttering a final word.

"Sorry..."

(Commentators POV)

"Wow! Things are really getting heated up! Even though they were the ones that chose the map, Senzai Squad seem to be on the ropes! Captain Senzai is outnumbered two to one, and Arafune has pulled out his Kogetsu which he has more points in then Senzai has in his Raygurst! And Sthenos seems to be unable to hit Tora! Is Tora truly so gifted and talented that he can just naturally anticipate and evade all these attacks?!"

As the commentary went on, Temba Squad and Mizuki both just gave their own guesses and such. However, only Mizuki was uncertain and even then she suspected that Tora might have a Side Effect that helped him. As for Temba Squad, they were sure of it. However, as commentators, they could not carelessly reveal that.

Yes, Cylian was sure now. That Tora possessed a prediction Side Effect. However, between his own talents and high intelligence despite how he acted, and his own Side Effect, he had even noticed something about it as well. When Sthenos launched an attack at close range or long range, Tora would always sense it before it happened. However, the close range ones seemed to put more pressure on him then long range attacks.

From what he could guess, Tora probably sensed an attack before it happened. He sensed their malice or desire to harm him, so he was actually alerted to an attack before it was made, but it could be described as right before it was made. Either way, the more distance there was between him and a target the harder it would be for the one attacking at range to correct themselves and hit him, and then he would just sense it again. No, perhaps by the time he sensed it the person making the attack had already committed to it so they couldn't adjust.

But what was certain was that the more distance there was, the more time Tora had to dodge. In other words, Shooters and Snipers would have an annoyingly difficult time fighting him. Tora was probably only vulnerable to an attacker who had better skill and experience then himself, or to groups.

That said, he was not the only one being observed in this battle.

"However, it looks like Agent Shingai didn't go out for nothing!"

"Yeah, Shingai-neechan was able to get out a final attack".

"Daisuke is…"

"…leaking Trion!"

As they focused on the B-Rank Wars, Tamakoma-2 was not the only team who had taken the spotlight. With that last Viper attack, although Daisuke did not get any fatal hits, it was amazingly that she hit him at all in that situation and he was now leaking Trion. It was not a large leak, but it was enough that he was weakened a bit and might bail out from Trion leakage if the battle was not resolved in fifteen to twenty minutes.

"Wait! Not only that, but it seems she got his Bagworm! Daisuke is on radar now, and…it looks like Arafune is taking action also?!"

* * *

(Arafune POV)

As Senzai rushed at Arafune once more, he warded off all the attacks and stopped Senzai from being able to inflict a hit on either of them. In the first place, Arafune was one of the most experienced agents in Border as indicated by his points in both snipers and Kogetsu. And with the support of his team mate, Senzai would quickly be defeated.

However, Senzai quickly seemed to notice that despite taking out an Ibis, Arafune's teammate had not attacked. Instead, the moment Shingai bailed out, he immediately pointed it at the wall. Senzai did not realize it at first, but then it occurred to him. Agent Willaims, Sthenos, and Agent Rokuda were all lined up perfectly from where they were standing. And while their positions were definently revealed now, Williams still had to take some time to both create a Tomahawk, set the travel path, and then fire it not to mention the time it would take to reach them.

As for why he had waited until Shingai bailed out, that was because they did not know where the other two snipers were. They had been wary of either one coming to score points on them before they could use Ibis, and attack them while they were weakened from the Trion Cost of Ibis. But once Shingai was confirmed to have bailed out, and as they knew the location of the others, they could afford to target Sarah Williams who was both protected and trapped inside that room.

If Arafune Squad fired that, he would score three points immediately. So Senzai used all the Trion he could muster and created a large amount of Grasshoppers to bounce around. He did this to make it harder for Arafune to predict and block him, but then launched himself forward combined with Thruster while he was midair and went for the one holding Ibis.

But he was too late, because he then fired Ibis and broke through the walls of the facility with massive destructive force.

He was able to use his technique though to get around Arafune and cut through the head of his squadmate, while then bring his Raygurst back around in shield mode to block Arafune's Kogetsu and…

Suddenly, Arafune jumped back as Tomahawk came around and blasted Senzai into oblivion. Several bail outs then occurred. But it was only three.

Sarah had been unreachable inside that room, but at the same time she had been trapped. Ibis shots could take her out, but unless they got close there was no guarantee to hit. Furthermore, they had been wary of using Ibis while the other snipers were an unknown. But once they were revealed, they could take a guaranteed hit on Sarah.

However, it seemed Sarah had anticipated this and in the last moment had a Tomahawk prepared that she launched at the same time to take them out. If Senzai had not attacked, Arafune would have actually not noticed it and so it worked in his favor.

However, that meant the other two were not hit.

Arafune quickly contacted his operator. "Report?"

"Well, even though it was a surprise attack and I assisted with the line up and timing, Agent Rokuda somehow sensed something was wrong and dodged at the last minute. Agent Sthenos mirrored him, but…I think that shot must have grazed her at least. You should get over there and finish agent Rokuda off. We only got one point when we were hoping for three. Tamakoma is now tied with Senzai Squad for the lead with two points each".

"Understood".

Tamakoma had taken out Shingai and Senzai. Senzai had taken out the two other Arafune Squad members. And Arafune had taken out one of Tamakoma. Arafune couldn't help but muse a little as he ran about how the situation reflected Rock Paper Scissors.

* * *

(Tora POV)

Turning back time a little again...

Sthenos had changed tactics and decisions and started launching an all out assault at me. At this rate, she would expend most if not all of her Trion during this battle, and I actually stood a good chance of losing. Even with my agility and my Danger Sense Side Effect, this many overwhelming attacks would eventually get me for sure. Asteroid and meteora, instead of making it a compound shot she was dual firing both. I could clearly see her skill at being able to do this on the fly. I could do the same, but that was from my brutal training. She didn't go through that, yet she was still capable of it. Her talent was probably above my own.

I barely managed to dodge, but with this overwhelming firepower there was no way I could get up close. As an Attacker, I was totally cornered in this confined room.

"You can't attack me if you cant get close, and you cant keep dodging everything!"

Normally, I was taught that speaking during combat was a bad idea, a waste of energy, a negative. It was something that was drilled into me during training. So normally, I would never reply and just focus on the fight. But...

"Who said I needed to get close?!"

At the same time, I revealed one of my trump cards, my Asteroid as I shot it towards her. She was surprised, but as expected of someone who had more real world experience then me. She managed to dodge, but I managed to damage one of her legs.

"A Shooter...of course! I should have realized as Reiji-niichan's kouhai you would not be limited to a single role. Well then, I guess I better bring it up a notch and make this more fun!"

"Haha! Don't think I will let you!"

I didn't realize it yet, but I had actually laughed just there. Combat had been something forced on me, a brutal task so that I would become what they wanted, or I would die and suffer. They broke us mentally there and forced us to fight. I joined Border not to have fun, but to take responsibility for my decision and the consequences of it. In the first place, although I did try to think of it as a game while I was imprisoned to help myself feel better, in the end it was never something I was truly able to have fun with.

Or at least, that was how it used to be. And yet now, it was like I was enjoying myself fully and completely. This girl, Sthenos, who had acted so friendly with me before, and who also was kind of embarrassing as well, was making this fun for me and even caused me to speak during a fight.

And so while I was smiling, I equipped Meteora and blasted it at her. She rushed in to try and attack me at close range with Asteroid, as she apparently realized staying at a distance would not longer work and tried to get me with a close up surprise attack.

 _Danger!_

But before we clashed, I sensed danger approaching and dived to the side, with Sthenos who was still charging at me and saw this movement ended up mimicking me.

Right as that happened, an Ibis shot penetrated through all the walls and nearly hit us if we had not dodged. Although it was not like Temba Squad's cannons, it was still a formidable shot that tore through the building. And yet...

After that blast had occurred and I dived out of the way, an unexpected had occurred because of someone else who had also dived out of the way. Rather, to be more exact, Sthenos was currently right on top of me, and in her dive she had landed on top of me and accidentally had her face fall onto mine.

In other words, through astronomically impossible odds, we had just kissed right there.

"Ooops…eh?"

And then I used Scorpion to create a blade from my chest and stabbed it through her Trion Core.

"Muuu. Isn't that a little mean, attacking me so quickly right after we kissed?"

"Says the one who was about to prepare a close range Asteroid to take advantage of the opportunity".

"Awww, so you noticed. Well, this was fun though! You are fun! We should play again sometime!"

I was still a bit embarrassed about the whole kiss thing, but she was just smiling so nicely it made me feel a little relaxed and loose.

"Yeah, it's a promise".

The damage finally seemed to sink in, and Sthenos bailed out. With that, Tamakoma had three points. Surprisingly enough, it was all against Senzai Squad due to various situations. And two members of Arafune Squad were also gone, which meant it was just me and Daisuke against Arafune himself.

"Daisuke-niichan, how are you?"

"Leaking trion, but I am good. Arafune is still using bagworm though. And you are currently inside a structure, so unless you get outside or I rush to you Arafune will reach you first".

"Ah, he already has actually".

As me and Daisuke had been talking, Arafune arrived through the big hole. He did not even try to use a sniper rifle, he already had his Kogetsu out. I realized he probably had a good idea that I had a prediction Side Effect that made it harder to hit me from range. It was not impossible mind you, but it was extremely difficult.

"You didn't go after Daisuke-niichan?"

"Nice try, but if I did that, you would just attack me from behind. Well, I had hoped to get here in time to take you both out, but it looks like you finished off Senzai Squad first".

The moment he finished speaking, he quickly moved towards me as he swung Kogetsu. I sensed the attack and dodged it by a small margin so I could dart around him and attack with my dual Cyclones. Yet he recognized the incoming attack and jumped to the side, while he swung around Kogetsu which had superior range. I ducked with my agility to avoid the blow, but he changed the direction of the swing and forced me to block with my Scorpion by protruding it out of my body.

Because Scorpion was not really made to block, it took some damage but I avoided taking the damage. However, this person despite being a sniper still had sufficient skill to force me to block after dodging. Just because I could predict an attack did not mean they could not adjust so it would hit, but that strategy would really only work best with Attackers.

He lunged his Kogetsu at me again and I had to avoid it again. Perhaps this was a good indication of just how much more Real World experience he had over me. Although I had my own experience, it was set up combat simulations, training rooms, and what not. In Colsaria, I had been tested in those against all manner of things. But, in the end those were limited boxed in envirornments against what they had produced. To limit risk of escape, of convincing others to help us escape, they did not bring in any combatants from outside the facility to test us.

Meanwhile, this person had experienced combat against a wide number of various people, who instead of having learned Colsaria techniques and refined those, and developed and experienced their own unique situations.

In terms of power and ability, I outmatched nearly everyone in Border. I was stronger, faster, and I was trained in all sorts of weapons. But the others still had more real world experience over me. They had learned things from their daily lives that I had been deprived of, and they had experienced a wide number of opponents and learned to read them. I could only sense the danger from their moves and occasionally hazard a guess of what they would do, but Arafune could probably read me and every move I made like a book.

In addition, he was using the length and range of Kogetsu against me. Cyclones and Scorpions were not effective unless I got up and close with the enemy, so he was intentionally making me maintain a distance. It was made clear that in this situation, I had to get right up next to him. I had to show that I could grow too.

And so I charged at him, using Grasshopper to boost my speed. He anticipated my movements though, and used Kogetsu to block my attack route and to take me out. It would repel my Cyclones or shatter my Scorpion, and probably he would use it to take me out.

But I did have another skill I could use, and that was my ability to rapidly switch weapons. And so as my Dual Cyclones went away, a Kogetsu appeared in my hands at the same time and with the momentum I had from before I clashed swords with Arafune. It meant I had to give up Scanner Vision for this fight, but it was fine. I knew from the start that if I used the same tactics each time, I would get read and anticipated. Even though my power and abilities exceeded everyone else, they had more and better experience then me. So I had to do something outside their expectations to throw their experience off and guarantee my win.

Of course, Arafune was still able to block my Kogetsu, but he was unable to push me back. And despite the block, I ducked under his Kogetsu while keeping it blocked with my own and kicked my leg towards Arafune as Scorpion shot out and pierced his Trion Supply Core. That forced him to bail out.

In the end, we managed to score six points and we would reach the upper B-Ranks. Four for our hits, and two for survival.

We had won our match.

* * *

(Commentators POV)

"And with that, the B-Rank Wars are over! Tamakoma-2 wins! But, that was sure exciting! Everyone, what is your opinion on what happened?!"

As Sakurako announced this, she turned towards Mizuki and Temba Squad hoping for…something. To be honest, she had wanted Shinoda here to provide some serious commentary, as Temba Squad was easily excitable, but she ended up getting Mizuki who was also easily excitable.

And yet, Mizuki surprised everyone by talking seriously and calmly.

"I would say that each team is worthy of praise. Although Tamakoma won in the end, it could be said that Senzai Squad and Arafune Squad were the ones who were the stars this time. I think it also showed the ability of each of the Captains. First of, Agent Williams did a spectacular job I think sealing herself off so that she could focus on attacking. However, I also think that was a bad move on her part because she ended up being trapped and unable to avoid the Ibis shot. It was bad because it sealed her fate, but she herself must have known that which meant she was focused on supporting her team as best she could. So in terms of being a Captain, I think her decision was good. It also let her focus solely on offense, which she is better at".

Even Temba Squad was shocked at Mizuki's rational and calm answer. Cylian, feeling some competitive spirit flare up, did not let this go unchallenged.

"That said, I think Arafune Squad was also great. Although they unfortunately lost a member to the ambush set up by Agent Shinya and then got intercepted by Agent Shingai, Arafune never lost composure and focused solely on the objective. He and his squad waited patiently for the other snipers to get revealed, and then once they knew it was safe enacted their plan. It looks like Agent Williams managed to warn Agent Rokuda of the danger though, as she had clearly anticipated it due to her Tomahawk and Agent Rokuda dodging. As for Sthenos, well…she just copied Agent Rokuda, and it ended as quite…"

Cylian paused for a moment as he remembered the kiss between Tora and Sthenos, but then Suzu was the one who continued. Of course, no one noticed that she had arrived until that moment.

"As quite a good bit of inspiration! ToraXSthenos! Its perfect!"

"S..Suzu?!"

"Don't mind me! Just continue!"

"R..right. Anyways, Arafune showed great judgement after seeing Tora…Agent Rokuda's ability to dodge, and went after him with Kogetsu which has superior range. The fact that Tora had also switched in a Kogetsu though shows just how serious he knows about the difference of experience and plans to counter it though, and it was only that very quick surprise switch that he was able to do any damage at all".

"Indeed. Agent Rokuda used that surprise attack to inflict serious damage on Arafune, he probably knew he had to give it all there because Arafune would adapt after the surprise attack was over".

"Yeah. So I would say while Tora won, the fact he acted like that combined with Arafune's actions and decisions indicate he had a better performance then Tora today. Although certainly, Tora showed his exceptional ability in his own ways as well".

"But I think we should give credit to Agents Shinya and Shingai as well. Shinya moved to take advantage of the map Senzai Squad chose, but Shingai moved to take advantage of how they took advantage of the map. Furthermore, Agent Shingai went with an atypical approach people normally would not expect and went to ambush Shinya's sniper position. However, Shinya also did something clever. Normally, snipers are at a disadvantage when their locations are revealed and have to run after this, but Agent Shinya set up a trap instead and used himself as bait for that trap. You cant blame Shingai for getting caught in it, because it was very unusual. Actually, it kind of seemed like he picked up that tactic based on how you defeated him Temba Squad".

"Yeah! He really learned from us huh!"

"He saw what we did…"

"…and adapted it so he could use it!"

"Indeed, so you can really say that all three Squads showed us quite exceptional performances. And now, Tamakoma-2 will go into the top ranks! And their next opponents will be…Tsukiko Squad, Ninomiya Squad, and Azuma Squad!"

* * *

(Senzai POV)

"Sorry! I didn't even consider the possibility that a sniper set up traps at their location and used it as bait instead of just running normally".

"Relax, its fine. You still did a good job at scoring us a point".

"…I wasn't able to score a point at all though…"

"You did great though Sthenos! If you let Tora go on a rampage, we definently would have lost! Besides, you made a friend so it could be said you still won!"

"Yeah! Friendship!"

"You did good as well though, Senshi. As your operator, I am really proud of you! You were able to score a point even though you were against two people! With your luck, that is a sign of amazing skill!"

"And then I unluckily walked right into the ambush by Agent Williams in the process".

"Sarah-chan is just scary good is all! You can puff out your chest and feel proud! You all can! Even if you did not take Daisuke-kun out Ite, you still managed to deal damage that would have eventually led to his defeat, and Sthenos-chan did a great job of holding off Tora-chan! I am sure if you had not been interrupted by Arafune, Sthenos would have won eventually!"

"Yay! Thanks ojichan!"

Even though just before Sthenos had been a bit dejected by losing to Tora without gaining a single point, and even before then during the battle knew she would likely lose, the words of her operator had cheered her up.

"Well, we gotta give it to Tamakoma. They sure do produce some tough Agents".

* * *

(Arafune POV)

"Sorry guys, I couldn't defeat Agent Rokuda".

"No no, its fine. He caught everyone off guard by equipping Kogetsu for this match. It looks like he knows his weaknesses well".

"Yeah Captain. Its me who should apologize, I lost early on to their ambush".

"Its fine, that could not really be helped. The other teams were just too skilled".

"Yeah. And if you think about it yourself Captain, you did a great job. You forced him to show one of his hidden trump cards".

Yes, one. The group was aware that Tora had more. In the first place, his off hand had showed no signs of use other then Grasshopper really. They suspected Tora had a trick or two left. However, guessing on what it was had been shown to be pointless. After all, Tora had also shown that he will occasionally switch out the Triggers he will use.

They considered the possibility he always had Kogetsu equipped actually, as they did not know his Trigger composition, but they were pretty certain that he did not have that. But as an Attacker, he showed remarkable ability and growth.

"As expected of Jin's and Reiji's kouhai. And from a Neighbor. He is someone to keep an eye on".

"Indeed. But now…now he is going to face Tsukiko Squad, Ninomiya Squad, and Azuma Squad. Well, losing will be a good experience for him too".

"You so sure of that? Tsukiko Squad, although granted is named after someone who is no longer in the Squad since he got promoted to A-Rank, has those three and their operator is Mei, is not someone who they have no chance against. And Azuma…"

"No no, infact Tsukiko Squad might be a bad match up for them depending on the situation. But Azuma…I have no doubt about the fact that he will win. Although granted, I could be wrong since I expected us to win this…but, Azuma is someone who is leagues above all of us. Not to mention Ninomiya Squad will also be there, so Tsukiko Squad probably wont focus on Tamakoma at the start".

As the squad heard those words, they could only imagine what the next battle would be like. Having those four teams together...

"Well, since it is those three teams, only Jin probably has an idea of what will happen. But it will definently be entertaining. Besides, we should probably consider our own Trigger loadouts. I heard we might be selected for the Colsaria Raid".

And so on those words, the group left to go grab a meal together as a team…sort of. There was someone rather unexpected waiting for them. A Mimik Clone.

"May I speak to you four for a moment?"

* * *

AN: Woo hoo! It took awhile, but I hoped you enjoyed! Ah, and to make sure you all remember properly, Tsukiko Squad is owned by TheAnimeTrain (Better known as TAT, TATs, or TATs-Sempai), and Senzai Squad is owned by Monkey pie225! Anyways, the question for this chapter is: Which Canon Battle from the Anime and/or Manga was your favorite?!


	30. Enemies

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 27: Enemies

AN: I hope everyone is ready for something epic, something funny, and something new! Because we have quite a number of developments happening now!

* * *

(Kido POV)

 _They have become quite noisy lately._

Those were the thoughts of Commander Kido, the leader of Border, as he looked over the data they had been able to collect both from their away teams and the data recovered by their Engineers from the Colsaria Triggers and Trion Soldiers, not to mention the data provided by the ATS Mimik.

He was currently looking at their current map of the Neighborhood. It had recently been bolstered, but was so far incomplete. But the main amount of their latest data was of Colsaria and its vassal nations, not to mention the lunar islands.

Lunar islands were essentially smaller parts of a larger Planet Nation that orbited the Planet Nation in a stable and fixed orbit. They were smaller, and only orbited around the larger nations for the most part, but in a way they were also their own regions.

Colsaria had a lot of vassal nations that they had to be concerned about them attacking if they went and raided Colsaria, or rather the specific facility Tora was held at. Given their power and ability from the previous invasion, they would have to leave several people on the defense at least. Amo for sure had to be left behind. They also needed to leave behind at least half the A-Rank Squads. In exchange, for the raid they would need to employ several B-Rank Squads.

And he could not be sure if it was a blessing or a curse yet, but at the very least the raid itself would not be happening at Colsaria itself but rather one of those Lunar Islands. Apparently, that research facility was the single only thing there, and in exchange had heavy security and defenses there. Because of the intensity and the level of surveillance there, he would have no choice but to also have someone defend the Away Ship during the raid.

Which meant those three definently had to go. He knew that for sure.

And on that note…

"Yo! We are here!"

"As expected…"

"…Tora-kun won!"

"It was my team's win, so why are you acting so prideful?!"

The members of Temba Squad, Senzai Squad, and Williams Squad arrived. The other executives of Border were already in the large meeting room, sitting around a large holographic projector and with tables full of files and documents. Additionally, there were others who had also arrived first. Miwa Squad, Midorikawa, Tachikawa Squad, Tamakoma-1, Tsukiko Squad, and a few others.

At the current moment, these people were brought here because they were going on the raid. Additionally, this was meant to be an overview on the details of how they would raid Colsaria, before they could make even more Champions. After all, they had discovered that the process had been accelerated. They managed to get through two, but what about three, or four, or what if they built up to ten? The average squad could not defeat a Champion on their own. They had managed to gather information on Champions though, what attacks were effective against them, their abilities, and what might be the most important, the location of the core buried deep inside their body.

But that did not change the fact that not a single agent in the room had the ability to fight a Champion solo. Well, with Tora having acquired some real confidence after the battle, with his abilities he might, but there was no certainty of that. Not even Tachikawa, Konami, Mei, Jin, Izumi, or Yuki could fight against a Champion at full power and hope to win on their own.

"Oh, hey Tora-tan, Cy-kyun, Ro-kyun, Ya-kyun!~"

Suddenly, the four of them shivered as Suzu called out to them. Tora immediately hid behind Daisuke, and Temba Squad hid behind Tamakoma-1.

"Never again!"

"So you say…oh, and Tora-tan! Let me know when you want someone to plan your dates and wedding! Sarah-chan, my workload has been a bit busy lately so I might need your help on this! I was considering a BL, nothing extreme of course given your age, with you and Temba Squad over there…but this seems like a good idea too…"

Tora immediately blushed as she said that. In fact, Kido had been watching the match the whole time so he saw it happen live while he was collecting battle plans and determining who else they could take. And although he would never let it be learned, even if someone tried to read his mind, for a single moment he actually considered it a good idea as a relationship.

He himself did have a wife and children after all, so there was obviously more to him then just the stoic, hardened face as Border's Leader. Of course, not even the Queen of Ships Suzu, or the prodigal psychologist Sarah would have even gotten a hint of that, even if they had been staring right in his face at that exact moment. That was just how good Kido was.

"How is she not in some insane asylum?!"

"Don't ask me. Maybe she was deemed too insane for them".

"Hmmmm….maybe I should write that YukiXNinomiya BL after all".

"…I mean, she is perfectly sane and acceptable".

"He is being threatened into it!"

"Hey hey, Tora! Let's have another ten round match later!"

"Sure! Also, I gotta say some of the manga you lent me is really good!"

"I know right?! Weren't the action scenes great?!"

"Yeah yeah! And the plot…"

"Hey hey, some people might not have read it yet. Better not spoil!"

"Hey, Shun-kun. You better not have lent anything too bad for Tora".

"And is it me or do you hang out with us more then your own squad…"

"Tora-chan is basically like my younger brother, so you better not show him anything unsuited for him".

"No, Tora-chan is my little brother! So I will determine what he should and shouldn't see!"

"No, I will!"

"No me!"

"…those two are competing again…"

"Shobu, when did you get in here?!"

"…I was always here…also, here. I recommend this manga".

"A ninja manga huh? As expected from the ultimate ninja".

Suddenly, a loud and thunderous knocking was heard from the direction of Kido which got the room entirely silently. Even Kido, who normally maintained a solid face which did not express anything now looked a bit irritated.

"…uh oh…looks like he is really angry".

Cylian muttered that as Kido finally spoke up.

"Now, how about we get to the actual meeting".

As Kido said that, he brought up the various data about the Neighborhood, including the map, right as Arafune Squad walked in as well while Mimik appeared next to Tora. He reached out with one of his tendril cords and linked into the systems to help manipulate the display and bring up information.

At the same time, Tora walked up. Of course, he was extremely nervous at that moment. In fact, he had been a bit nervous about doing this for the past week that he had multiple dreams where things went wrong, and a few where he dreamt he was doing this naked. However, no one knew about this because Tora kept that to himself, fearing that Sarah would use that in some way to embarrass him, such as making him practice while actually naked or something.

He took a deep breath, and began to speak.

"Alright, well…first off lets show the target itself. Whether fortunate or unfortunate, we wont actually be going to Colsaria itself, but one of the Lunar Islands. It means that when we attack, unless we take too long we wont have to fight the main Colsaria Defense Force or search around a large location. However, in exchange that isolation means they will be onto us the moment we arrive, and they will have large scale defenses we would not see normally in Colsaria itself as they wont have to worry about friendly fire".

As Tora walked around the holographic display, he seemed to interface with it directly using his hands, and zoomed in on the Lunar Island. It was still one of the smaller islands for Colsaria, but it was still quite large. In addition, the various defense layout was displayed.

"As you can see, the entire facility and the main defenses around it are protected by a powerful barrier that prevents anything from getting in or out. I was able to disable it when I escaped, but they have definently re-activated it by now. In addition, the entire forest is teaming with Trion Soldiers. Instead of large ones though, they are small ones fashioned in the design of forest animals, and some are even disguised as animals. They are great at staying hidden and then doing a surprise attack".

Several squads already did not like the sound of this.

"In addition, between the barriers and main defenses, it will be impossible for us to land anywhere close to the facility. We will need to land the transport a good distance away, however the ship will be unable to land so long as the outer defenses are there ready to shoot us down if we try. Furthermore…"

Even more of them did not like the sound of this, but the fact that Tora was still going on made their expressions grim.

"There will be a huge minefield in the way, and they should have artillery firing upon us as well as having large scale, powerful Trion Soldiers, including bomber types".

Kido really had to wonder just what Tora's full potential and abilities were, if he escaped from a place like this on his own with only that ATS called Mimik.

"And then, after all that, the hard part begins".

"That wasn't the hard part?!"

Several members of this meeting could not help but throw out a retort when Tora told them all that what he just explained was the easy part. Even Kido retorted a bit inside his own mind at that.

"Yeah. There will then be interior defenses. Trion laser grids, automatic turrets, moving walls, lockdown gates, and various Trigger Users and Black Trigger Users. Also, they will probably have the subjects themselves fight us using those Triggers which force them into obedience. There will be other traps as well, and there is a chance they might have created another Champion already as well. Hopefully we can make it there before then but…we should expect the worst".

He then had the display zoom in further on the layout of the structure that had still been stored in Mimik's memory banks. He highlighted several key rooms on multiple floors.

"These rooms are the Subject Holding Areas, the Defense Command Room, the Control Room, the Docks, and the Armory. All should be considered high priority targets. They also have a Trion Soldier Forge to produce new Trion Soldiers if needed, so we should take that as well. And the last room I highlighted is the Reactor. Do not damage that, unless you want us all to die".

"…well crap. This is practically a guarantee now there will be trouble in the reactor…"

As Cylian gloomed over Tora's jynx, Yuki walked up while eyeing a certain room.

"You almost highlighted this room, but stopped. What is that room?"

"…not a priority".

Yuki narrowed his eyes, but it was Tachikawa that spoke up.

"Given the location, it's the room for whoever is head of the facility…I see, that is where that doctor lives huh?"

Tora didn't answer that, and instead looked back at the blueprint.

"…well, I suppose those kind of feelings cant be helped. You are a human, after all".

"Well, anyways. There will be several people who will likely be there, including the two Black Trigger users that were encountered during the invasion, and probably a few others as well. Most likely, we will encounter several of their elite Trigger Users as well. Its possible they changed it up or added more after my escape, but there should be at least two aside from Kranz".

"Wait, Kranz is a combatant?"

"Yes. His trigger is known as a Masterwork Trigger, created over one hundred years ago by a Master Trigger Craftsman. They say he was bad at teaching, so his techniques were difficult to pick up and learn, but he created several Triggers which could be said to be close to or equal to Black Triggers. It's name is Leading Edge. It is capable of creating various phenomenon imbued with Trion, like shooting fire and lightning, or manifesting ice".

"Oh! So its like those spells your character uses in that new RPG you are hooked on, Mythos of Glaor!"

"S…Sarah! Don't interrupt like that, especially with information like that! I am just enjoy it, I am not hooked!"

"You pretty much stayed up to 3AM playing it last night".

"Sarah! Not important!"

Tora got a bit flustered, but he was quickly able to take a deep breath, and then redirected focus back onto the main topic.

"Anyways, yes, I suppose you could relate him to being like a Mage in the sense his Trigger can produce magic like effects. It is an extremely dangerous Trigger, and even the best of us should try to avoid fighting him alone".

"And the other two?"

"The first is Mora Wallerstein. He was essentially called the Executioner, someone who was big, tough, and intimidating. Now that I have seen the average height of people, it looks like he might have been given growth stimulants to make him bigger, because he is at least two meters tall. He uses a sword that we only knew as 'The Beheader'. It is massive, and a Trigger. It will tear right through Raygurst and Kogetsu with a single swing, even if you had Raygurst in Shield mode and used Shields to help reinforce. And thanks to his training, he can swing it quite quickly".

Everyone who used Kogetsu, Raygurst, or a version of them grimaced when they heard that. Basically Tora just told them if you were not fast and able to dodge, you would lose to this person. Nothing would be able to stop the swing of that blade, a true blade of death.

"And the other is Draco Keefer. He has both melee combat ability, and ranged combat ability. He uses two submachinegun based weapons with heavy firepower, good range, and rapid fire ability. In addition, each one is able to also be used as a longsword and he can dual wield them. I never heard anyone mention the name of the Trigger, but they are extremely powerful and can break through shields. But the biggest problem is that they have a tracking ability as well, and the tracking is quite persistant and intense as they can turn corners and last for a good distance".

For those with speed, they immediately understood the issues with this one. It basically meant no matter what obstacle you went around, no matter how much you sped and maneuvered, these weapons could still potentially hit you.

"Sounds…troublesome. And then there will also be normal guards?"

"Yeah. And keep in mind, they will have various Colsaria Enhancements. It will be an extremely difficult fight. They will pose a serious challenge to all of us, or at least those of us that can get past the defenses. We will probably end up taking some losses before we even hit the facility if we get lucky. This is essentially an impossible mission, there is a higher chance of failure".

The room went silent for a moment, with no one able to speak the world. After all, they were essentially told the raid would likely fail before they even started. That even though they got hit, and they got hit bad, there was nothing they could do to strike back, and stop the production of Champions. That it was a worthless endevour.

The first one to break the silence was Kido.

"So, what do you need?"

He said that in a serious voice that felt like it cut through space itself. Everyone seemed shocked and confused by this turn in development, everyone except Tora who now wore a confident and perhaps mischievous smile.

"Well, I admit we will still need more then who we could gather in this room, but we will need everyone here. Especially Temba Squad, and Senzai Squad for Sthenos…what you said is accurate, right Sthenos? The thing you said the other day?"

"That is right, Tora-chi!"

"Good. We should get Arafune Squad as well to be safe".

"So, what is the plan exactly? We might be able to suggest some squads if we know".

"Well then…I suppose I should. Alright, listen up. What we are planning is…"

* * *

(Tora POV)

After the meeting, I had made my way to the cafeteria and used one of the booth seats to lay my body down on. It had been an intense couple of days where I had prepared and organized everything, but the plan had been accepted.

"Woooo…glad they decided to go along with it. Everything should be okay now…hopefully".

Mimik then floated over to him and rested on the table.

"You did perfectly fine. There was no way they would not accept it".

"Haaaa…by the way, you seemed rather silent during the meeting. What were you doing that kept you so focused?"

"My apologies, I was reading and analyzing everyone in the room and measuring the acceptance and moods of everyone, while going through Border's Roster to see who would be ideal to add".

"I see…"

As we talked, a shadow suddenly came over me and eclipsed the light from the room. I sat up my body, and saw that it was Yuki.

"Yuki-niichan, what's up?"

"I was just curious, if you really plan to do it…to kill him?"

To that question, I ended up hopping off the seat and standing up as I remembered everything Kranz had done to me…and everyone else.

"Its not revenge…not just revenge, anyways".

Yuki looked at me with a stare that I could not quite place.

"If he is left alive, he will just try again and again. He will continue to kill and torture people for his goals and desires. He cannot be allowed to leave that place alive".

"…I see".

"Anyways, I will see you in the rank wars. I am heading out, feel like taking a night walk on my way home".

I left with those words, and I made my way out of the base on my own. Well, I had Mimik with me, but that was it. Even if I desired companions and friends, connections, in some way even I needed my alone time every so often. A good night walk would be helpful for me right now, or at least that was what I thought. Due to the need of being close by, I would be staying at Tamakoma Branch for quite a bit to reduce travel time.

A walk through the remains of the forbidden zone. Somehow, instead of eerie, it seemed rather peaceful. A place so calm and still, that when I really focused I could feel the whole world around me.

Of course, even if there was noise, thanks to my Danger Sense I would have noticed them anyways. I turned around as I gripped my Trigger, but suddenly from behind an arm wrapped itself around my body and lifted me up as a cloth with a bad smell was placed on my face.

 _The hell?! Wait, how did…my danger sense…not pick up anything…_

Suddenly, although I was able to resist for a bit, after a minute or two of struggling and thinking I felt my mind wander off. And even still, I was unable to make anyone out because they were all wearing masks and did not speak.

But the greatest mystery of all was the man who had somehow attacked me from behind without Triggering my Side Effect.

For a long time, it was just darkness. I was asleep for who knows how long. Or maybe it was a short time, I could not tell.

In a way, it also felt like a lot of time had passed in an instant. But as I was finally waking up, I could hear some voices in the back ground.

"…we had to double the dose again. Is this some Side Effect of his, like yours Agent Kuri?"

"It is possible we got bad information. My Side Effect just grants me immunity to the Side Effect of others, I was told his Side Effect was a prediction one but perhaps it is a resistance one".

"What should we do?"

"I am heading out with the main team. Continue your examination. Discover all we can, as quickly we can. We need to learn all that is possible of Border and their Trigger technology".

I was vaguely able to understand what was going on. I didn't quite know fully what they were doing, but it looked like there was a group that wanted to know about Triggers and Trion, maybe to become powerful or make a huge profit or something. Admittedly, it probably was something that various corporations and governments wanted.

I suppose I should be grateful I did not live in a world based on anime, manga, or novels. Otherwise, the development of me waking up this early would not happen, and someone else would have to rescue me. However, they seemed mostly unaware of my abilities. It seemed like they had been drugging me, but my body had already adapted it seemed and learned to filter it out.

Although, the man who spoke of his own Side Effect worried me. Luckily, I heard a loud door close and it seemed like he had left. Although I had considered keeping up this act…I ended up panicking and being flustered when I realized I was strapped to an examination table completely naked.

"Waaah!"

"What?! Damnit, he has to wake up now?! Quickly, grab him! Kick him down!"

The first thing I did was use all my strength to try and rip off the restraints. They were made to hold down a human adult it seemed, but thanks to the experiments done to me I was able to rip them off. But with that, I had gotten a good look at my whole body…

Not only was I naked, but they had written on me, circling and outlining my scars and procedures. It brought up a lot of bad memories. Several of them drew guns on me, but as I looked around in both panic and rage I noticed my belongings on a table nearby…including my Trigger.

I immediately made a running lunge and then rolled over to the table and grabbed my Neighborhood Trigger. I activated it immediately, and now was in a Trion Form that covered my body in a jumpsuit.

"Shit…shit! Quickly, someone do something!"

"Use the Triggers we took from that kid!"

The two who spoke up, who seemed capable of leading, I picked up an empty table, broke it in half, and threw each side into them which sent them flying into a wall. They were probably just unconscious, but if they died I was not going to apologize. They did kidnap me after all, and made me remember some really bad things.

At the same time, Mimik finally showed up.

"Where have you been?!"

"Sorry, but I had to maintain concealment as I was unaware of their Trigger capacity and ability. I also considered the possibility they had anticipated the possibility I was around and every word was a lie, so I could not act immediately. Besides, if I did anything they might have tried to use you as a hostage and such".

I managed to grab the rest of my belongings and my Triggers as I kicked some…well, I didn't know the name for it, but I kicked it towards another and sent him flying. Because none of them were using Triggers, it was extremely easy.

Still, to think there was a person who had a Side Effect that made him immune to Side Effects…that was extremely problematic. I definently had to get away and warn the others.

Well, now that I had all my belongings, all I had to do was jump through a wall and keep running. It looked like I was in a warehouse that was just on the outskirts of the forbidden zone. If I kept running…

"Mimik…which direction is Tamakoma Branch again?"

"To your right".

"Thanks!"

So I kept running towards what used to be my right.

It felt a bit weird that the story took this turn, but this was the real world after all, not some story based on a manga or anime. Or a fanfiction based on those, for that matter.

It looked like I had not been out for too long, maybe a few hours. But, on that note, they had managed to keep me unconscious for several hours. I wondered how much drugs they had used in that time. When I got there though, I was pretty much going to jump straight into a bath and wash off all this writing on me.

When I did get back though, the person I did meet was rather unexpected. No, to be exact, the moment I saw her I tried to run away but she grabbed me.

"Tora-chan! So glad you are okay!"

"What are you doing here, eccentric Doctor lady?!"

"How mean! You don't even remember my name! And I was called here in case you were injured when they brought you back here…though, it looks like you got here on your own".

She pulled me in and gave me a hug…but then I felt something strange get wrapped around my neck. No, it was familiar.

"What the hell?!"

"That was how we knew you got kidnapped. Since this thing was designed not to be able to be removed by the one wearing it, everyone got panicked when we found it abandoned on the side of the road. Luckily, this one has a lock now so it cant be so easily removed by others either!"

I wanted to argue that I did not need to wear a collar, but…I literally just got kidnapped. Even if it was only for a few hours.

"And what is this?"

And thanks to her being so close, she noticed that I had writing all over my arms, back, and the rest of my body.

"Hey hey…just, stop! I need to go take a bath and wash…hey!"

I tried to protest, but suddenly she grabbed my arm and a camera and dragged me towards the bathroom.

"No way! These are clues to who these people are! Evidence! It needs to be documented, then I can help wash it off you!"

"No no! I can take a bath on my own!"

"I am a doctor, so I know its physically impossible for you to scrub off this writing on your own".

"Nooooo!"

As a side note, it seemed like my luck stat was not just zero, but in the negatives.

* * *

(? POV)

"It seemed like that Neighbor's body was unusually resilient. Not only had it gone under a number of operations, but he was able to overcome the drugs even after we increased the dosage again in only a few hours".

"Tsk. He was not supposed to escape at all. How did no one notice this? We have no clue what he learned as a result".

"No matter…we have to go dark for awhile, we cant risk any more action at this stage. Our next best chance…will be after they return from the raid, since it will be a time which their focus will be shifted and their management staff would have to deal with the fallout of either their success or failure".

Three men watched as the warehouse that had been full of equipment before had now been emptied and wiped down, with no trace of them remaining. It was not just Neighbors that Border had to deal with…there were others who sought to take away the Triggers and knowledge that Border had kept from the governments of this world, to prevent the rise of any superpower.

Although it had not arrived yet, someday this group would strike again…this was only the beginning for them.

* * *

AN: So what do you guys think? What do you think Tora's plan is? What are your thoughts about these new people? How do you like these developments? Are you luckier then the Tora-shota? Answer in the reviews please!


	31. B-RW: Four Way Battle

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 28: B-RW: Tamakoma-2 vs. Tsukiko Squad vs. Azuma Squad vs. Ninomiya Squad

AN: Poor Tora...he never learns...

* * *

(Tsukiko POV)

There were currently five out of the four members in the Tsukiko Squad briefing room. The reason why there were five out of four was because the former captain, Yuki Tsukiko, was promoted to A-Rank due to the meddling of a number of people, and because of his ability. Since he was A-Rank, he technically could not be counted as being in the squad, but because they refused to change the name of the squad, it was still called Tsukiko Squad.

As such, there were only four people in the room who would actually play a part in the upcoming match. That would be the attacker, Toby Awdry, who mainly just used Scorpions and teleport, Suzumebachi Misaki, who people mainly just called Suzu, as the sniper, and their gunner Takeshi Kotowari, who was known for his infamous Laser Circus.

They were currently reviewing the footage of the matches of the previous contestants. However, there were two squads in particular they were focused on.

"So, we can definitely confirm then? Tora-tan has a Prediction Side Effect?"

"Yeah, like Jin he seems to predict the future…although, he has yet to predict any of Suzu's movements for…well, her Suzu stuff, so its possible its limited to combat or something".

Indeed, Suzu had been skeptical on Tora having such a Side Effect because he never was able to predict her movements once. Nor could he predict Sarah or Sthenos' actions. However, it seemed to be the case in a fight because he seemed to become aware of the mine Temba Squad placed right before it activated.

However, it was also true that with any trap placed by Switchbox, there would be a mark left on the surface. So, it wasn't like it was impossible to notice. That said, it was not easy either and they were aware Tora lacked the real world experience needed to normally predict stuff like that. So far, many had assumed his ability to dodge and realize attacks were coming had been because of the warnings by his Operator, Team, or the brutal combat training he was made to do.

But based on some of the latest actions, this was no longer a guarantee. They noticed the lack of time between when the Ibis shot was fired, and when Tora reacted. Tora had also managed to dodge a surprise attack by Shingai who had her Good Luck Side Effect, and predicted the trajectories of Sthenos' attacks.

The only one who got close was Arafune, and it was well known Prediction Side Effects did better at range then up close.

But also, there was something that Yuki had heard Miwa mutter shortly after his fight with Tora.

"No Side Effect is perfect".

Of course, Miwa could have been talking about Jin's, but Yuki believed it was Tora's. Of course, the fact that someone did manage to ambush Tora was true, but there was another hint that leaked out…the existence of a man whose Side Effect made him immune to other's Side Effects. Granted, it was only what was overheard, but that did not change the fact it could apply there.

"If it only reacts to attacks, it might mean it is also more effective against attacks, especially ones that target. I suspect Free Viper might be a bad idea against him".

"In that case, the best one to go up against Tora-tan is Toby. Perhaps…I go after Sarah-chan, and Take against Daisuke-kun?".

"Yeah…but before then, there is a snake we need to eliminate before that fight".

That was when the squad went and looked at the other squad they were focused on, Ninomiya Squad. Yuki and Ninomiya hated each other's guts, and as Yuki's old squad they ended up absorbing some of that hatred towards Ninomiya.

"You guys absolutely have to make sure he gets taken out first".

"Got it, Captain!"

And because of Tsukiko's love and coddling for their captain, this would end up being a major focus. Of course, it was not entirely wrong either. After all, Ninomiya Squad was also their enemy and there was a good chance of them trying to get involved at the wrong moment and steal points from them. Besides, there was also the fact that Yuki considered that Azuma Squad had likely realized Tamakoma-2s danger and planned to go after them first.

"Whatever you do, do not let Ninomiya score a single point!"

Which caused this sort of atmosphere and direction. Thankfully Tsukiko Squad was a top ranked B-Rank Squad for a reason and would not totally get engulfed by this though, it was just Yuki really hated Ninomiya and they cared a lot for Yuki who was almost always sick and they wanted to care for him.

* * *

(Azuma POV)

"So, what do we know about the Trigger compositions of each person?"

"Thanks to the actions of Senzai Squad last match, we were able to confirm Agent Rokuda uses shooter triggers as well. From what we have seen, it looks like he probably uses Cyclone, Bagworm, Scanner Vision, and Kogetsu in his main, and Scorpion, Asteroid, Meteora, and Grasshopper in his sub. This does not leave him with shield, but he has not used it once in a fight and prefers to rely on agility. As for Agent Williams, it looks like she runs Asteroid, Meteora, Viper, and Shield in both her main and off hand, though I have yet to confirm if she really did mirror Meteora in both. In the case of Agent Shinya, I have confirmed and Egret in his main, as well as the use of Switchbox and Sentry Turrets, but no word on if he uses lightning or Ibis. He does have a Bagworm though".

"So Daisuke is the only variable we cant really account for. Understood. It is also possible Tora has been changing up his Trigger composition and does have a shield, so we should keep an eye out. We will need to check for traps if we decide to go after Daisuke. What about the other two?"

"For Toby, he pretty much only uses Scorpions and Teleport to the point where I wonder if he actually has anything else in that Trigger of his. Suzu we have records and experience of using Ibis, Lightning, Bagworm, Scorpion, Teleport, and Shield. And as for Take, he has at least used one of each Shooter type Trigger, and has been seen at least once in a battle of having used all four. He also used teleport, Bagworm, and is believed to have two shields, one in each hand".

"Its possible Toby might still be holding a trump card, but given he never used it in any match they lost, it looks like he is just focused only on Scorpion and Teleport. Not very wise, honestly, but he does have that Side Effect of his. How about the last squad, Ninomiya Squad?"

"Their captain has been seen using both Asteroid and Hound in either hand, as well as Meteora but only in the main hand. He also duals shield, and Bagworm would make his off hand as you have told us. As for Sumiharu Inukai, he has been known to use an Assault Rifle Gunner Trigger on his main for both Asteroid and Hound, but is also known for carrying a free Hound on his sub along with Scorpion. He uses dual shield as well as Bagworm, but we have not confirmed the final Trigger slot if there is one there. He might have a surprise waiting. And as for Shinnosuke Tsuji, we were only able to confirm Kogetsu, Senku, Dual Shields, and Bagworm".

After going all the information about their enemies, Azuma pondered about all the potential outcomes. He did know that Tsukiko Squad would likely go after Ninomiya Squad or Tamakoma-2 first. The issue was that Tamakoma-2 was so new, and they often changed up their tactics from what was seen. Azuma was not sure exactly on what pattern they would take. The only consistent one was Sarah with her bombardment, but Azuma had to wonder that with the way she made herself bait. After all, with what she did, there should have been no doubt people would come after her…which meant, she had likely planned to make them fight each other or something.

Therefore, Azuma considered going after Tamakoma-2 first but…

"I think the best way to win will be to utilize mass bagworm, and start by picking off whoever we can. It is something Ninomiya Squad has done in the past, and so we normally might get thrown into a bad position with the risk of running into them, but no doubt Tamakoma-2 and Tsukiko Squad will both target Ninomiya Squad. After all, they are the top B-Rank Squad. Tsukiko has personal issues with them, but both squads should also recognize the threat that a Squad which is ranked Number One could be".

"What about Agent Rokuda? If he goes on a rampage…"

Azuma was not blind to the sheer risk of Agent Rokuda. Frankly speaking, he had over twice the power of the average B-Ranked Agent at least, if not A-Ranked. His Trion Levels and Skill Levels were all crazy powerful. However, his weakness could be exploited the most by Azuma Squad.

"Even if he is an extremely strong individual, he lacks the ability to coordinate and support his team. Take note, the entire time they faced off against Suwa Squad, Agent Rokuda did not go to help Agent Williams once. While they do also trust each other, most of the team play was done by Agents Williams and Shinya. In other words, even with that Prediction Side Effect of his, Agent Rokuda lacks experience. Not with his fighting and skills, but he lacks experience with people. He cant function well with allies yet, and he is bad at predicting what his enemies might do. His Side Effect makes up for that weakness, but not completely. If we work together, we can take out Agent Rokuda"

In this entire fight, Azuma was sure that Agent Rokuda probably posed the least threat to their squad if they were careful. The only issue would be if Tora managed to sneak up behind him, as Azuma himself was a sniper.

It should also be noted that it was Azuma Squad who had the ability to choose what map it would be this time, and he made sure to choose one that would be to their advantage.

* * *

(Announcer POV)

"Hello everyone! Welcome back to another wonderful great day of B-Rank Wars! Once again, I am your host, Sakurako Taketome, and with me today are some rather big stars of Border…Kitora 'Tsundere' Ai and 'Did you see my dual snipe?' Ken from Arashiyama Squad!"

"W…what do you mean Tsundere?!"

"Yo! Hello everybody!"

"So, lets start this off with some predictions! Who do you think will win this one, you two?"

At that question, both Kitora and Ken looked serious for a bit as they seriously thought about this one.

"Honestly, it could go either way. I think Ninomiya Squad will have difficulty, as pressure will be high on them for being the number one squad, but Tamakoma-2 has been rising rapidly in the ranks so its possible they might end up being focused on as well. Then of course there is Tsukiko Squad and Azuma Squad…I would say, its hard to predict this one".

"As for me, I dunno either! But, I think it really all depends on what Azuma Squad decides to do".

"Well, the teams are ready, and the map is…huh?! It is another unusual choice!"

"Is that…Forest D?"

"Not just any Forest D…look at the hazard they chose".

"Oh dear, this is…"

"And the teams are warping in!"

* * *

(Tora POV)

The moment I entered I immediately activated Bagworm, but…

"What the hell is this?!"

I was told that it would be a Forest Type map right before we warped, but this had been quite unexpected. It would make things quite troublesome as well. After all, no one but the team that set the map would know the special conditions that were set.

And certainly, I did not expect to see a forest fire erupting. The map itself was supposed to be a large forest in a valley, with two cliffs on either side one could go around to get up, or climb up directly. In this condition, it would be difficult for everyone. Snipers, Shooters, and Attackers.

"No wait, Scanner Vision…is that their goal then?"

I began using Scanner Vision as well, and I already had my Bagworm on. Something that after last match I decided to do immediately. The issue was if everyone was going to use Bagworm, this would be a game of Hide and Seek.

Actually, this map would be the worst for Sarah. Not only would Bagworm be an issue, but forest maps held the issue of tree branches. She could memorize a city or building layout easily, but accounting for random trees and tree branches? Her Bombardment would be totally pointless.

And this held our next issue. Someone should probably go and cover for her, but Daisuke couldn't as a sniper since either he or Sarah would be at a disadvantage if they stayed together. Sarah would give away his location, and he could not snipe as well if he had to stay close to Sarah, mobile and moving towards the enemy or at least staying close so Sarah could have a shot in these conditions.

And I still had my coordination issues. If one went by my Border Briefing Files, they would notice. My Command and Defense/Support stats were abysmally low, even if my other stats were high. I lacked enough experience with people.

This map put our Squad at a serious disadvantage. Even if I would still be able to sense attacks using my Side Effect, if they employed team tactics I could be in trouble. My only hope was to start now, to seek out and eliminate enemies no matter what to earn points.

* * *

(Toby POV)

"So, any idea on who is who?"

"Not yet, but be careful Toby! You really should pick up and use Bagworm! In this setting, snipers and shooters could totally hit you, especially if Azuma has Scanner Vision! This smoke would mean nothing to them!"

"Relax, I am using teleport a lot to keep them off my track. What about Ninomiya Squad?"

"They all instantly bagwormed. So did Azuma Squad! The only one on radar right now is Sarah! And…she has fired in your direction!"

"Already?!"

"Not just that, she also fired at several other start locations! Incoming!"

As Mei, their operator, told him, several dozen Tomahawks were coming down on him. There were shots at a few other locations, but most were aimed at him.

No, it was not just at him. She had also aimed at every single location around him. He was going to get knocked out right at the start!

However, he had teleport. The issue was with all the fire and smoke, teleport's range was greatly reduced and it made it difficult to move long distances, and so he could not take the time to look around either for a safe spot to teleport to. So he immediately teleported to the place in front of him and…

"Damn her…"

A huge explosion happened. Sarah had accounted for teleport, and sent Tomahawks along a line to hit all those spots as well. After all, Teleport would only work where one would look, so she used the direction he had been traveling in to anticipate a straight line and fired upon that. And yet…

"Don't worry Toby, I gotcha…and sorry, Sarah-chan".

A sniper shot went off at the same time.

Both Toby and Sarah got bailed out at the very start of the match.

The moment Toby landed on the mat, he looked over at Yuki and Mei.

"Sorry, Sarah got to me first. What about the others?"

"Well, this map is not small, but its not terribly large. At least Suzu scored us a point, but…Ninomiya Squad has also made its move. They found Suzu first, thanks to her shot. It looks like they were anticipating it even".

"Damn…"

* * *

(Suzu POV)

"Well this is quite the heated early start! Damn!"

Suzu put up her shield as she took cover. With Sarah gone, she could deactivate her Bagworm and focus her trion on defense and attack. Of course, there was still Daisuke, but with Ninomiya Squad's assault their bagworms were gone too and he would likely pick off some of them first to weaken the other teams.

"Take, how close are you?"

"Unfortunately, I have been held up a little".

"By who?!"

"I found Daisuke, but…Tora found me! He definitely has a prediction ability, Free Viper is worthless on him!"

Suzu felt Ninomiya Squad closing in on her. The fire made it hard to use teleport, just like it had with Toby and Take. Their main feature was totally shut down. Of course, Sarah's ability to bombard had also been shot down. She had to focus most of her attack on a single target, the only one not using Bagworm, and she had to be in an open enough area that Suzu was able to spot her. Of course, Suzu was using her last spot that she had not really determined what to use for yet for Scanner Vision to make it easier.

But now, she was pinned down by Ninomiya Squad. She had no choice, she had to at least score a point before she got taken out, maybe two. So, she used shield to cover herself as she rushed out of cover, used teleport to get near Tsuji and quickly unleashed Scorpion to take him out. She managed to cut off his head in her surprise rush of desperation. Inukai took out Assault Rifle and blasted her at close range before she could teleport away, and was about to finish her off when...

"Critical Damage Detected. Bail Out".

He was shot in the head by a sniper. Since Daisuke was found by Take, that meant the one who attacked her was Azuma. But, she did not quite make it out so easily.

"Tell Yuki he is still unfit for A-Rank".

It was Ninomiya himself who came out from the smoke and delivered the final blow to Suzu, before he took cover and avoided Azuma shooting him and causing him to bail out.

In this match where Border Agents were dropping like flies, it seemed there was quite a bit of commotion.

* * *

(Take POV)

"Mei, what is the score right now?"

"Tamakoma-2 has one point, we have two points, Azuma has one point, and Ninomiya has one point. We have the lead, but you are the last one. Azuma has no losses, Tamakoma has one, Ninomiya has two losses. How is it going?"

"Badly!"

For some reason, when Take found Daisuke and planned to attack, Tora came out of nowhere and attacked him instantly. Tora was bad at coordinating, so why was he so close to a sniper?

"He is bad at coordinating with his team, but he isn't an idiot! They probably realized Daisuke would be targeted thinking that, and used him as bait! That cant really count as coordination!"

Even Take couldn't refute that because, as seen, Daisuke had barely been able to fire a shot at him with Tora firing. Tora's movements were refined, skillful, and professional…but, not in sync with Daisuke. But right as he thought that, Daisuke saw a shot line up and took it with Viper!

Tora sensed it immediately and dodged, but Take dodged with him and for once managed to grab and throw Tora in the way. Tora was able to fix himself but, the Vipers ended up hiting his leg where he adjusted himself to.

Take did not miss that either, and he finally understood something about Tora's Side Effect.

When Take tried to use Free Viper earlier, when he controlled and set every angle it never hit Tora. But, just there Tora was unable to sense Daisuke's return attack. He sensed the initial attack, but not the set Viper trajectory. In fact, this was also true with Tora's fight against Miwa Squad. Once Tora sensed danger from an attack, he would know how to dodge it. But after it was sensed, any movement he made after that would not register the attack.

Free Viper must somehow count each movement as an individual attack, so he would always sense Free Viper attacks that changed. But Set Viper…that was one singular movement, not planned out or intended. Obviously, Take was not sure on the details. There might be factors that explained it or something, but it made everything make sense.

It was just too bad that the moment he grabbed Tora, it was too late. Because a Scorpion blade reached out from his arm and stabbed the Trion Core.

"Trion Supply Damaged. Bail Out!"

"Trion Supply Damaged. Bail Out!"

And yet, Take was not the only one to bail out.

* * *

(Tora POV)

Right at the end there, I saw it. While we were closing in on Take, a sniper shot came from overhead and shot through Daisuke's chest, destroying the Trion Core.

With Daisuke gone, I was on my own. To be fair, that was where I worked best but…

"With this, we can now finish up".

"Its your turn to Bail Out for once, Agent Rokuda".

Noboru Koarai and Tsuneyuki Okudera of Azuma Squad had me cornered. However, they did not look perfectly happy.

"I see…you wanted to surprise attack Take-niichan as well from behind, and get that point as well".

"Well, I guess we will just have to settle for you and Agent Shinya".

I was fully aware that this was not looking good for us. I was outnumbered, the last one on my squad, and we only had two points. Azuma Squad had two points, no losses, and were totally undamaged. Azuma had scored all their points, somehow he got angles on everyone. He was at a high point on top of the cliffs somewhere, maybe a large tree, and he had managed to take out so many.

If I could score two points here, and get either him or Ninomiya, it would work in my favor but…even I knew that would be difficult. Compared to me and my team, Azuma Squad was the model image of coordination.

I charged towards them while maintaining a movement position that would be difficult for a sniper to lock onto. Azuma certainly did try to shoot me, but I was too fast and dodged the attacks. This surprised the members of Azuma Squad, but they did not slow down and mess up from that. They were probably told to expect it, but didn't actually think it would happen.

I managed to move behind one when he had kogetsu out with two hands, but a grasshopper appeared under him and launched him up, and then onto another that sent him towards me. Meanwhile, my Danger Sense told me the other was coming from behind. I managed to dodge out of the way, but used Grasshopper to stop my dodge mid way and sent me in another direction. A sniper shot nearly hit me there, but I still had to duck as a kogetsu from the second guy had been redirected, expecting me to dodge, and tried to get me after I had dodged. Thankfully it was a separate attack and registered in Danger Sense.

I was still leaking Trion from earlier. After this, there would probably be squads that realized a Set Viper could work on me. Of course, I also looked out for Set Viper so it would not be as effective as people would like, and I could use my mobility to dodge it provided I anticipated well, but it was still better if people had not realized it at all.

Another kogetsu was swung down at me, and forced me to use my cyclones to parry. The moment I did though, I dodged downward to avoid another sniper shot and managed to slash at Agent Koarai. And yet as I did, I had to pull back and just barely avoided my arm getting cut off by Okudera. Even if I could sense the attacks, and I would understand how to dodge them well from that, did not mean I could always dodge every attack.

I jumped backward to get some distance, but then I sensed another danger and avoided it. This time the attack hit Okudera who did not sense it and received damage. It appeared to be Ninomiya. I immediately went towards them to take an attack. They anticipated I would go for the one who was injured, but I used Grasshopper to change direction mid-air and went towards the good one. Ninomiya also tried that, but as he fired a sniper shot came where he moved to and got him in the head. I successfully stabbed him, but it appeared I was anticipated as the wounded one grasshoppered towards me and the ally and stabbed through me.

At that moment, all four of us received critical damage and bailed out. Even though I could sense the attack coming, I already knew I couldn't dodge. In this situation, I played it all out in my head.

The final score was this:

Tamakoma-2: 3 Points. I got Take and Okudera, and Sarah got Toby.

Tsukiko Squad: 2 Points. Suzu got Sarah and Tsuji.

Azuma Squad: 6 Points. Azuma got Inukai, Daisuke, and Ninomiya, and Koarai got me. Two Bonus for a Survivor Finish.

Ninomiya Squad: 2 Points. Ninomiya got Suzu and Koarai at the very end with his final shot and his earlier Trion Loss.

And so I materialized in the Squad Room, I looked at the others and apologiezed.

"Sorry…I couldn't coordinate with Daisuke-niichan well and we lost as a result. I should have considered Azuma's sniper".

"No no, its my job as a leader to do that. That is one of the reasons I was made leader remember? So you can just focus on having fun".

"Still, I really am not good at working in a team…I am just a bother, huh…"

"No no! Its not your fault! You are not a bother!"

Apparently, when they saw me starting to sulk and brood again, Sarah and Daisuke went into overdrive mode and completely swarmed me with hugs.

"You are not a bother! Don't ever let yourself say that!"

Sarah ended up picking me up and drooping me over her shoulder. At the same time, I felt my pants get pulled down and…

"Oww! What was…Oww!"

Something I refused to mention happened.

"This is to help make you remember you are not a bother!"

I was already turning extremely red, in a variety of areas.

"No no! I promise so please do…oww!"

"You promised that over five times already and you never follow through! So you need to be punished so this will cement in your memory not to do this stuff!"

It seemed that my bad habit of brooding has been noticed still, and was still really upsetting people. A lot. I mean granted, this was something I had been told about several times over with various threats and punishments, but it seemed that they were really tired of me brooding. As I thought, I was a bother…

"I know what you are thinking! Its because we are concerned, not a bother! And don't brood during your punishment! Now it needs to be worse!"

"Oww…waah, forgive me!"

"We tried that already and it didn't work!"

That day ended with me not being able to sit down for the entire rest of the day as a result.

* * *

(Yuki POV)

"I am not mad..."

"You look pretty mad".

"Not at you. Now Ninomiya is going to rub this in my face and be even more unbearable. This is going to be really bad".

"At least they didn't win".

"True. Azuma completely wiped the floor with everyone though, but maybe that should be expected of him. And Tamakoma-2 did pretty good...where will they end up?"

"Tora-tan and the others? They got three points, but when you factor in the other B-Rank Wars matches, it looks like it will come down to them being right at the top of the middle group. As for their next opponents...it looks like it will be Suzunari-1 and Bakaro Squad".

"Sounds like we need to step up our game..."

"Oh, err...well thats troublesome".

"What? We dropped below Tamakoma-2 just barely, but it looks like we will be up against Nasu Squad and Temba Squad".

The moment they heard Temba Squad, in addition to Nasu Squad, the group went grim. That was because ever since their loss against Tamakoma-2, and the performance in the Invasion, Temba Squad had been doing really well. And they were already a troublesome team, even for A-Ranks, because of their traps.

"Well, at least we didn't get zero points. Thanks to Suzu".

* * *

(Azuma POV)

"Nice job everyone".

"At the end we got had though, thanks to Ninomiya".

"Well, that was within calculations. We still managed to clear out. If you had not gotten Agent Rokuda, I would have".

"...but?"

"The next time, Tamakoma-2 will be ready for us. It seemed that Tora, even if only a little, is learning to work with his team. Its not good right now, but...its not bad either. When we face off next, we wont be able to clear them so easily".

"Then I guess we better train too!"

"Yeah. Nothing says we cant improve either".

 _But...the way he worked with Daisuke in the middle there...I was planning to try and target Tora then, to get some damage on him, but towards the end he and Daisuke started to sync. I could not risk his Side Effect somehow pulling through and dodging, and then having those two team up while keeping watch for me. Otherwise, we would have gotten through the match with no losses. Tora would have at least been damaged, and my squad would have overpowered him easily. Its not fast, but he is learning._

Azuma reflected on the battle, and was glad he decided not to shoot.

 _Besides, now I know a lot more about that Prediction Side Effect._

* * *

AN: Ouch...poor Tora. He really needs to learn to deal with his bad habit of brooding...he isn't even an airhead really, but on this sole area he is oblivious...anyways, so here is the question of the chapter! How would you deal with Tora's brooding? Oh, and what was your favorite part about this match?

Disclaimer: Since I try to put this in still every once in awhile as a refresher, Tsukiko Squad is owned by TheAnimeTrain.


	32. Date of Arrival

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 29: Date of Arrival

AN: Sorry for the delay, RL threw me a curveball and then tried to work me to death so I would reincarnate. Anyways, this next chapter introduces someone new, and all sorts of fun stuff happen! Be ready to go "awwwwww"!

* * *

(Kido POV)

"And that sums up everything. We will be ready to go in five days".

Commander Kido looked at the team of engineers and managers as they had finished giving him the report. With the data they had gathered, they were making final preparations for a few last minute details as the away ship was prepared for the raid on Colsaria.

There were a lot of details aside from choosing who would go, and they were all important to look over and confirm. Any mistake could potentially be taken advantage of by their enemies, and now they knew for certain of an enemy that existed on their own world.

Of course, Kido had long expected something like this would happen, so he had preparations ready, but it looked like the people in question were also prepared for this. In other words, it would be a long, drawn out battle. And who knows who could be trusted with this information.

"And what about the other matters?"

Now, someone from the intelligence division stepped forward. Of course, that was Agent Miwa.

"As for him, he is still being closely observed. Today…well, he will be occupied today".

Miwa handed him a file as he said that, and Kido could not help but chuckle a bit when he read it.

"I see. Sounds like he has it hard. And the other matter?"

At that question, they all looked away out of shame.

"We confirmed he arrived in the city, but…he managed to lose us".

"I suppose that should be expected. Well, it should be fine".

Kido said that, although secretly deep down he was worried.

* * *

(? POV)

As the train stopped at the station, among all the passangers a thirteen year old boy who was all alone got off and stepped onto the platforms. Dressed casually in a shirt, jacket, shorts, and sneakers, along with a content look on his face, he put his hands on his pockets as he looked around. It was still morning, but it was a nice and beautiful day.

"Hmmm. Looks good. Too bad I missed all the fun, but now it's my turn….but first, time for sightseeing!"

And so the boy jumped into action and ran down the stairs connected to the platform, entering Mikodo City. Little did anyone else in the city know just who had arrived, or what his agenda was.

* * *

(Tora POV)

I was extremely nervous and against this.

"Isn't there any other way?! Please?!"

"This is for your own good Tora-chan!"

"I mean, isn't forcing me into this too cruel?!"

"Like I said, it is for your own good!"

"But…but…shouldn't this be natural?!"

"Oh stop squirming! Just submit!"

"No no no! And stop smothering me like this!"

"Then either accept this, or we will punish you in another way!"

"Noooooooo! Okay, okay! I will do it! I will submit! So please, stop grabbing me like this!"

I was finally released from Sarah's grasp and put down. All of my clothes were usual casual clothes I was wearing, only I was forced into this exact set of clothes that had just been washed and dried, including the underwear. Everything I was wearing had been fully cleaned less then an hour ago.

There was a reason for that.

"Tora-chi!"

And that reason charged through the door and ran right into me, hugging me tightly as she wrapped her arms around me. This person was Sthenos, the shooter of Senzai Squad. She was dressed up in a pink dress, as well as some pants meant to be worn with a dress.

"Alright, you two! You have to have fun today in the city! Understood? Go out and experience all sorts of new things together, and have fun! Got it?"

Yes, I was coerced into going on an _outing_ with Sthenos. Just the two of us, around the city going around and trying various new experiences. Food, arcades, the whole big deal. Go to the amusement park. Ride bikes.

For the record, I did know how to ride a bike. However, I crashed several times over first. Legitimately, it took me awhile to understand that vehicles on Mideen didn't float or hover. All the vehicles in Colsaria did.

It was apparently quite adorable, and both Suzu and Sarah had pictures of my attempts and at me blushing. However, I had mastered it! The twisted, evil, pain inducing mode of transportation known as the bicycle, I had become its master. So, it was now time! I would show everyone that I do not, in fact, use training wheels! For the record, the fact we would be riding bicycles was also why Senzai Squad made her wear pants that went with her dress.

"Tora-chi is making a kind of scary face…"

"He had a lot of hardships with bicycles to get to this point. Give him this moment".

And so, after they made sure I had my color, that we had our phones, wallets, spare money in the left shoe, emergency contact information in the right shoe, spare change of clothes just in case, and Triggers, me and Sthenos finally went out on our outing…

* * *

(Sarah POV)

"Alright people! Everyone set up and get into positions! You two, use the new Drone Trigger and monitor them! Daisuke, get to a good vantage point and watch their progress! Shingai, you stay closer and be ready with your bow and arrow! Mimik, you are going to be in charge of close monitoring and to make sure he does not notice we are following him! Senshi…don't get close to any of us, and especially them, and have your bad luck get in the way!"

When I was giving out orders, Suzu came out from behind a corner and added something.

"But, if Senshi stays close to them, and their bad luck ends in something cute…"

"I see I see. I retract that statement, Senshi, follow them closely without being spotted!"

In all actuality, this was technically a punishment for Tora. He still had his brooding problem, and he was not good at establishing lines of communication. Even for introverts, he was an extreme case. As such, I was fully on board for pairing him with Sthenos, who was a massive extrovert. Plus, one was an eternal shota as much as he hated to admit it, and the other was an eternal loli. Pairing them together was the only natural thing to do, being eternal chibis.

Plus, their personalities had a good match while also contrasted well. Not to mention they already had a kiss, and got along great together despite their differences. Although I suppose I could not be absolute sure, it seemed this pairing was one of Suzu's top five now.

"Now, lets go spy on those two!"

"Yeah!"

It was also painfully obvious all the people gathered here had too much free time on their hands.

* * *

(Tora POV)

"So, uh…"

As Tora started to have a discussion, his stomach suddenly grumbled like he had not eaten in five days. Although in truth, it was only three hours.

"Oh, right! You eat like, five square meals a day right?!"

"Uwa?! Well, yeah…"

I had been excercising and preparing a lot, and due to my body's physical specs, I had a high carb, high calorie…well, high everything diet right now.

"Then…then…lets go to the place that person told me about!"

"That person?"

"Director Shinoda!"

"Shinoda-Sensei?!"

"Sensei?"

At my slip up and Sthenos' realization of it, I got a bit embarrassed.

"Actually, although Konami taught me most of what I learned, Shinoda-sensei also decided to teach me. He has also been helping me catch up on math, science, history. He has been helping me learn…a lot of other things too".

"…well, I mean…"

I sort of delayed as we continued to ride our bikes through a park, but we were both then delayed by a beautiful sight. This was the first time I had been through this park, so maybe I had somehow missed it but…there were dozens of pink trees, beautiful and breathtaking as the wind swayed through them. It captivated me entirely, and caused us to stop for a moment.

"Is this your first time seeing Sakura Trees blossom?"

"Y..yeah…pretty…"

"We got lucky actually! They don't usually bloom at this time! This might be a sign of good luck, Tora-chi!"

Even though they sounded playful, I considered her words seriously. After all, what I was looking at was apparently a miracle. They almost never bloomed at this time, and it seemed the wind and weather was just right today to bring out their full beauty.

"This probably should have been saved till the end but…I wont complain. This is a great way to start the day too".

As the wind changed direction, a sakura petal landed on my nose. I picked it off, and admired it in my hand as I moved it around. I wanted to just stay right there, just a bit longer, and take in the atmosphere of this place. However…

My stomach made more noises, and I blushed in embarrassment again.

"Come this way! I know a Ramen shop nearby!"

"Ramen?"

After I said that questioningly, Sthenos turned around with a serious and brutal stare directed right at me! What, isn't this totally out of character for her?!

"You…never had Ramen?"

"Nu uh".

"I have not tried everything yet, but…Ramen…I might not need to eat, but Ramen is an important thing one has to try in Mideen! It is vital! Come on, Tora-chi! This must be rectified immediately!"

And so with that energy, she took out her Trigger. She did not exchange her form with a Trion Body though, unless she just used a body that was wearing the exact same thing she was now. Since we were both on bikes, she normally could not drag me along but…this Trigger was not her normal Trigger. Multiple snake like objects, sort of similar to Scorpion but less sharp and pointy, wrapped around me and the bike and I was forced to pedal along so I did not crash!

To this someone would give her a Trigger for this! No, wasn't this Trigger clearly designed to prevent me from running away? Do they trust me that little?

Of course, it was not like I had done a good job at getting them to trust me. In combat, as a Border Agent, sure they trusted me. But when it came to taking care of myself, to being honest with myself, and to connecting with others or acting casually in public…I still had a long way to go.

Eventually, she dragged me to a nearby Ramen stand. We parked our bikes nearby after she released me, and the two of us ended up sitting down to eat. It was kind of nice, to eat outside like this, as we made our orders.

"So you two are from Border huh? You look rather young".

The man said that as he made us our food. This was not a hard thing to guess. Sthenos used a Trigger in public, and the T shirt I was wearing had a Border Logo on it, as well as my jacket. Although maybe it could be implied that the clothes I got were ordered by some online retailer who made the stuff, Sthenos did use a Trigger in front of them so it was a pretty clear reasoning.

And then, he served us Ramen. Oh, the order was also what gave us away I believe. After all, they probably figured only Border Agents who needed a lot of food and energy would order five bowls of Ramen each. Furthermore, Sthenos requested that I try all sorts of different types, so each bowl of Ramen I had was different. First, I would try something known as "Super Ramen". And after we took our first bites….

"Wha…what is this sensation?! Its like, my mouth is on fire!"

"Oooh! Oooh! I feel it too! Did we eat it wrong?!"

"Its not really bad, but….what is this!"

"Mmhhmm. It was more shocking, but I enjoy it too!"

"Haha! You two are good! I was a bit worried, kids usually cannot handle the super spicey Ramen you ordered! As expected of Border Agents, even ones as young as yourself!"

He gave us praise as we had successfully managed to eat the Super Ramen, which was apparently short for Super Spicey Ramen. As for why we could eat Ramen that normal kids could not, aside from the fact I was older then people thought I was, my taste buds were actually sensitive along with all my other senses. However, I had been in this world for awhile now. And to be more accurate, I have had curry. So I had built up an ability to tolerate the stuff.

And Sthenos was a Trion Soldier, so I guess she was made to tolerate spicey.

However, the praise he gave me felt really great and made me really happy. I was still sort of weak to praise.

Once we finished our first bowls with amazing speed, he suggested the next one.

"This one is called 'Believe It Ramen!' It tends to really get people energized! Enjoy!"

And so one after another, we cleared bowl of Ramen after bowl of Ramen. It did not take us too much time, however after five bowls…it looked like others wanted to sit down and eat here too, and all the other seats were already filled, so we decided to pay there and then leave.

"So, what should we try next?"

"Oh, oh! I know! Come on, Tora-chi!"

"Waah! Alright alright, let me get on my bike properly!"

After that, me and Sthenos raced through the city as I did my best to keep up with her. She was extremely energetic and practically my opposite, but…I did admit she was kind of fun to be around. Our next stop was a place she was told I might like.

It was a building that after we reached it and locked our bikes up, I discovered to be filled with all sorts of strange machines and devices. However, once we entered and got a good look, I understood why there were so many people here. This was some sort of game arcade.

I wasn't sure how much Sthenos was into gaming, but I guess this was something she was told for my sake? Well, a lot of these games did look fun and…

"Oh wow! Sthe-chan! Look! This action racing game has two empty slots! Come on come on!"

I ended up spotting a game that looked really fun, and became the one to get really excited. I practically dragged Sthenos over there, and we began to play. We put our reaction speed, observational abilities, and processing abilities to the test and went after these games with full zeal and vigor.

"Sthe-chan! Look out! A hazard!"

"Tora-chi! Mines! They put mines on the race track!"

"As expected of an action racing game, but compared to Temba Squad these are easy to spot!"

"Ahh! Gunship! They are trying to stop us from getting the queen back to the king on time!"

Incidentally, this was a very popular game and somehow, we had gotten lucky enough to get two open seats at the same time. The reason it was very popular was because it was well built and well thought out, and even had an engaging story. It also had action and racing, so there were elements a lot of people liked about it.

It was rather impressive that we were able to get these seats so easily like that.

After a bit, me and Sthenos finally reached the final part and fought bravery as we raced through the Orbital Imperial City and defeated the final boss. It was an extremely hard fight, but in the end we had won. And after that…

"Tora-chi! We did it! We got the high score!"

"Hurray! We did great, Sthe-chan!"

The two of us celebrated as we put our names into the high score list. After which, we then went and decided to try a bunch of other games. Air hockey, Supreme Dance Master Deluxe, Boxin' Heroes, a bunch of shooting games, and skeetball.

Well, we kept going at Skeetball till the managers asked us to stop hoarding all the tickets and choose a prize. Since me and Sthenos' physical abilities were far too enhanced, we only got bullseyes each and every time so it was not really fair. But, we did get some awesome prizes.

After we left though, I started to have a strange sense of danger for a moment…but it was weak, and went away soon after, at least for the moment.

So with that, we decided to keep on going. And our next stop…was something called an amusement park. Odd, I don't even remember hearing about this before. At all. I wondered if I had somehow missed it.

Anyways, after we gained entrance, the first thing me and Sthenos did was go to something really fun and exciting called a Roller Coaster and…

"Sorry, you two cant go. You are too short to ride this ride".

I encountered a rather embarrassing obstacle. It appeared that…to ride the good rides, you had to be a certain height. And I…lacked height.

I collapsed onto the ground as I started to cry.

"Sthe-chan! Why….why is the world so cruel!?"

"Its okay Tora-chi! Its okay! Uhhh….lets rebel! Here, take this and follow me!"

Suddenly, she pulled me up and dragged me over to an area where no one would see. And then, she handed me a Trigger and told me something.

"It's loaded with Chameleon! Lets do this!"

I looked over at the ride. It certainly did look fun…and I wanted to go on it…

"Alright! Height discrimination is bad anyways! We deserve this!"

"Yeah! We do!"

And so, the two of us activated the Triggers, used Chameleon, and snuck onto the super fun looking Roller Coaster. With this, it would be impossible for them to stop us now! This was our victory!

And despite the saying "crime doesn't pay", this oh most certainly did pay. This was definitely worth it!

"Woo hoo!"

We very much enjoyed the roller coaster to its fullest, and were still laughing even after we snuck off while invisible.

"That was amazing!"

"It was! It really was!"

"Where next, Tora-chi?!"

"Oh look! That looks fun too! Lets go do that!"

"Hey, you two!"

Before we could move on though, a man and a few others by an empty van was holding candy while at a stand. It looked like most of the candy was stored in their van.

"Do you want to have some candy? If you want, we have more in the back if you want to check it out. Well, what do you….huh?"

Suddenly, their van let off a huge alarm which attracted a lot of attention to the otherwise inconspicuous set up. This seemed to cause them to panic and got really busy, so me and Sthenos decided to get candy elsewhere.

After that, me and Sthenos went around and participated in even more events. Bumper cars was the next stop, and was really exciting for us. Then, we found the booths that give out prizes…about fifteen minutes later, we were banned from them all and had made a decent profit.

In retrospect, letting us that exist outside normal limits go and do all this was probably a bad idea. But it was what I wanted, so I wouldn't say anything.

They also tried various new foods, though mostly for me. There was a minor incident with a cotton candy machine where I got full body coated in cotton candy, and well…Sthenos "rescued" me by eating it all, much to my embarrassment as being used as a plate.

My Danger Sense actually spiked again, higher then last time, but like before it seemed to suddenly disappear again. Still, because it was getting a bit concerning, I took Sthenos and used countless evasion tactics just to be safe.

After that, as the sun was starting to set, we finally left the amusement park and rode to an isolated area on the riverbank, blocked by trees, bushes, and other such things. We were totally out of view, isolated in our own little world as the sun turned orange in front of us.

"The water looks really nice".

"Yeah, the water does look really nice with the light shining off of it, isn't that right Sthe-cha…Sthe-chan?!"

I was about to turn and look behind me, but suddenly the whirlwind that is Sthenos suddenly yanked off my shirt and then knocked me down. I could vaguely tell she had already wormed out of her clothes, but then she forced me out of mine and pushed me down into the water!

After she did that, she jumped in after me into the water. It only just hit me this was what she meant, but…

"Sthe-chan! This…this is totally inappropriate!"

"Come on, Tora-chi! Its fun! Its like the time we took a bath together, but bigger water!"

"It's more water, not bigger water…and you forced me into that too!"

And then, Sthenos swam over and gave me a hug. In the water, I had absolutely no ability to break out either. It was extremely awkward!

"Besides, someone told me this would be a great idea! To skinny dip together!"

"Wh…what?!"

"They said we could get closer, like not just normal friends, but as some sort of special boy-friend and girl-friend couple!"

"Ehhh?!"

"And they reminded me to say that I like you! That I like you a whole lots! And to do this!"

And then, Sthenos kissed me right on the lips, intentionally this time, and hten maybe a cute and childish face. It was…actually really adorable. I blushed massively.

"Tora-chi is my special special friend! My very very special special friend of friendliness! That is why I came up with a chat account for you that a lot of other Border Agents use! Sarah helped me too! Its UltimateShota001!"

"Why would you use that name for me?!"

"Well, Temba Squad went and tried to set up mine as UltimateLoli001, but I still don't know how to use it so that name might not stick".

"…why do I get the feeling Suzu is watching us right now?"

* * *

(Suzu POV)

"Oh…this is golden, great material. Glad I am taking video, this will be a home movie. Cant wait to combine it with Sarah's footage. This might be even better then the cotton candy incident".

* * *

(Tora POV)

Sthenos finally let me go, and well…because we were already in the water, she convinced me to swim around for at least a bit. All of our stuff was lain out on a blanket she put out before hand. Border was supposed to be an action oriented place though, so I wondered why these incidents kept happening to me…

At least it was only us two here and…

"Ahhh! Look out below!"

Suddenly, a boy older then me and appeared older then Sthenos seemed to fall out of control through the bushes as he rolled down the hill, and was launched into the water by the momentum. After that, he got totally soaked.

And now, I got super embarrassed, but Sthenos didn't get embarrassed at all and just went to help him. She quickly dragged him out of the water and took off his…

"Wait, Sthe-chan! You shouldn't do that to strangers! Or at all!"

"But wont he get sick wearing wet clothes?"

"Ummm…well…"

I had no retort, but this was clearly not something a normal person should do. By the time the boy himself realized he was no longer in the water, Sthenos had already finished too. I ended up lying on my stomach since I was still wet and needed to dry off, while Sthenos was…well, she was not embarrassed at all.

"Ummm….why am I? Why are you…"

"It is a really long story…but uhh, she…"

"Me and Tora-chi were admiring the sunset, then I decided we should go swimming spontainiously, so I took off my clothes and helped Tora-chi out of his…"

At those words, the other boy looked at me with a sympathetic gaze. I ended up reacting by switching positions so I was sitting while hugging me knees and he did the same. Absolutely nothing could be seen!

Since his clothes were wet and me and Sthenos were still drying, we were basically stuck like that.

"So, uhh. Who threw you down here anyways?"

"Oh, right. Some weird people who saw me alone and decided to try and kidnap me. I think they were perverts…to think I would have the bad luck of running into those people. Like, all of these events really. Isn't this just unnatural bad luck? Oh, by the way, my name is Cody…I know it sounds American, my father named me that after we watched an old movie".

"My…my name is Tora. Tora Rokuda".

"Sthenos! The one who smiles!"

* * *

(Senzai POV)

"Ohh….I really hope me just being here isn't causing any issues…"

Senshi said that while he hid out of sight. He could only imagine their reactions right now if they learned half of the people they knew at least were watching.

"Suzu, Sarah, you know, you should probably…"

"We already stopped. Rather, Senzai! Get out of there right now! Its too dangerous!"

"Huh?"

Before Senzai could leave though, a commotion could be heard.

* * *

(Tora POV)

The men that had pushed the other boy finally came and found them in their secret alcove. Of course, we were all still very naked, but that seemed to attract them even more. My danger sense gave me a really weird feeling…I never got this feeling when Sarah gave me similar looks, or when Suzu gave me similar looks, so I understood that while it could be said to be similar, there was a colossal different right now.

In other words, these were those perverts, those shotacons and lolicons, me and Sthenos were always worried about. Not sure why they seemed to be in a group, but as we reacted I got a reaction from behind. I tried to react, but I ended up getting grabbed by another when I dodged who pinned me to the ground. Others went after Sthenos and Cody as well.

"Well now, we wanted to get this one brat since the other two ditched us…but it looks we managed to get all three, nice and unwrapped".

Apparently, they were organized perverts. As they approached us with the looks of not being able to hold it in any longer…suddenly, Cody moved his body in a fantastic way, wrapped his legs around one of their necks and chocked him out while he used his hands to strike at the eyes and throats of the others nearby. After the man fell to the ground, he picked up a stone and threw it into the head of the one by me, and then jumped up and kicked the last guy. Me and Sthenos just pushed with all our strength the last two into the water, and then…

Well, we all got dressed. Even Sthenos, surprisingly. It seemed that, most likely, she just didn't want her teammates to hear about this and scold her.

As the five finally recovered, the three of us were pretty much ready now. Of course, it was mostly me and Cody that were ticked off and so we beat them all up. After all, it was me, Sthenos, and this other kid seemed also good at fighting.

By the time we were done, he went back and nodded to us.

"Well, that was fun. Tora-kun, and Sthenos-chan, right?"

"Yeah!"

"You seem like fun and strong opponents. When we meet at the base later, we should have a good match sometime".

"Base…match…wait, are you in Border?!"

"Yep. I was out for awhile doing promotional stuff and recruiting, so I missed the good stuff, but I just got back for this Raid thing. Well, its not usually my cup of tea, but I suppose being with you like that on the blanket and fighting together has helped build some strong bonds of friendship, right?"

"Yep!"

"Uhh, yeah…I guess".

As we both agreed, he got up and started to leave.

"Well, I better get there before my father throws a fit…oh right, I never introduced myself! Cody Kido! It is a pleasure to meet you!"

And as he left on that note, me and Sthenos both had our jaws drop…

"Did he just say…"

"…Kido?"

"Did we just have…"

"…naked bonding time…"

"…and fought along side…"

"…the commanders son?!"

And so, that as the first time me and Sthenos met Commander Kido's son, Cody Kido.

* * *

(Suzu POV)

"Quickly! Make sure any image that contains Commander Kido's son is removed! I don't want my entire collection destroyed over this!"

Meanwhile, Suzu and the others were doing damage control. The reason why was simple, that was because it was Commander Kido's son.

Kido was at least tolerant of Suzu and the stuff she did normally, and she probably had some way of moving even if he went against her. But, that was against the normal Kido.

If she accidentally got his son in...well, it was made very clear to her. Her entire collection would be destroyed, she would be totally shut out of being able to do anything, and it would be almost impossible to get anything done. That was because the length Kido would go if she went after his son was far more severe then normal, and his son himself would also go after her.

Cody Kido was an S-Ranked Agent with a Black Trigger. That was not an enemy she wanted.

"Yo, Suzu. I thought I spotted a spy. Any chance, do we need to have a discussion?"

"Hiii! Uhh, nope! Nice to see you again Cody!"

Unfortunately, her ultimate wish she had gone unnoticed was completely dashed.

* * *

AN: And so, a new player has arrived! Cool, confident, S-Rank, and Kido's Son! How does everything think this new player will shake things up?!


	33. Tamakoma Branch 3

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 30: Tamakoma Branch 2

AN: For a moment, I considered letting Tora have some dignity. Then some other people pointed out to me that was a silly idea, especially with the Colsaria Raid coming up. On a side note, Ketsuki is owned by Stupid Studios, and is a fellow Tamakoma friend! :D Also, someone else may have also appeared that I will fully introduce and credit when they make an actual appearance with their name...I wonder if someone can identify who and where? :)

* * *

(Cody POV)

It was a fairly early morning, at what was often known as the Kido residence. Well, at least it was one of the Kido residences. It was not the official one listed, but due to the harassment of the press and such, while his father might live there, Cody did not.

It had a typical traditional Japanese sort of setting though, and was located close enough to the forbidden zone to be convienent. There were walls on all sides, with a gate at the front, to help preserve this setting. Inside there was a rock garden, a pond, typical Japanese wooden floors, sliding doors, wonderous tatami mats, and futons. Of course, there were also a bit more modernized room as well, like with TVs and computers.

And in the basement, there was a Trion Virtual Training Room. And inside, a chaotic fight could be heard. It was fierce and violent, hence why it could be heard so easily. But eventually, as time passed, the doors opened and two people emerged.

The first was Cody, wearing only a T shirt and a set of boxers, though both were fairly disrupted and made it look like he fell out of bed. The other, who was more clothed, but whose clothes also looked a bit like they had been tossed around, was Amo.

"To think that we tied this time" Cody mentioned as he looked over at the score. Ten wins vs Ten wins, they had a twenty round game.

"Well, its been awhile since I had someone fun to fight. Although, there is that new kid, Tora…I heard he is really strong, might be fun to fight him".

"Hey hey, he should keep resting given that the raid is coming up in like, four days. Besides, I hear he has a lot of plans booked".

"You say that, but I can tell you want to fight him too. And...plans?"

"Yeah. Actually, somehow I got involved in them. Huge sleepover party. First night, tonight, is at Tamakoma HQ. We are going there to spend the whole day there. After that, next night is at Temba Squad's apartment. And then the night after, its here at my place".

"Oh. So if I show up then, I could fight him".

"Please don't force him into a fight".

"Even though you clearly plan to. Anyways, you and those Goofballs again huh?"

Cody and Temba Squad were actually pretty familiar with each other. As Temba Squad were essentially taken in by Border, and Cody was the son of Commander Kido who ran it, they interacted quite a bit. Cody was used to their antics, but usually didn't get phased by it.

"Well, Temba Squad keeps things entertaining. Though, I am curious to see how well they get along with Tora. Anyways, don't you have defense duty now?"

"Right, thanks. See you later".

Amo waved goodbye to Cody, and then left as Cody checked the time again.

"Ah, I better go myself. Now that I think about it, Ketsuki should be getting back later today. Well, that should be interesting…well, I better go first or I will be late! Tora had early morning defense duty today, but that should be over now and Temba Squad probably already dragged him back to the base".

Cody quickly grabbed his Trigger, and headed towards his room to get dressed and bring some spare things just in case, since it couldn't hurt.

* * *

(Cylian POV)

"Come on Tora! Relax a little!"

"This…how do you call this relaxing!?"

"Oh come on! It will be fun! You are really too nervous!"

"But…but…"

Of course, as usual, Temba Squad were dragging him into something once more while Cody was on his way.

* * *

(Daisuke POV)

"What are those four up to up there…"

I honestly asked that as I heard those four messing around upstairs, though I suspected it was mostly Temba Squad. Across from me was Karasuma, and both of us were drinking juice and having a snack. I was a little concerned, but as it Temba Squad I figured it was okay.

"By the way, I heard you, Shingai and the others had an eventful day".

"…I think those two are just troubleprone".

"Maybe…"

As the two of us discussed that, time went on for a bit but the action or fighting did not decrease at all it seemed. Even when a guest finally arrived.

"Oh, hey Cody. So you got an invite too? You are rather early, you do know this is Temba Squad right?"

"I don't mind Cylian, or the twins. Besides, it can be quite entertaining. Well, I am heading upstairs now. I am a bit curious myself to see what they are up to".

As Cody said that, he walked upstairs without a hint of hesitation, something that even myself or Kurasuma couldn't do.

"So what can you tell me about this Ketsuki who is arriving today? It seems like it might just be a quiet day today considering. Time is flying by after all".

"Well, not every day can be full of kidnappings, Trion Soldier attacks, planning, Rank Wars, and such. Anyways, about Ketsuki. He is an Attacker and he has pretty high Trion stats. Well, for the Average Border Agent, its not like Tora's ridiculousness. But, he is very well balanced. He has not quite fully loaded out his Trigger though, at least last I heard, but given that there are a number of new Triggers developed recently, that might change. He uses a special trigger called Trishula, and likes others who use pole arm type weapons like Yosuke. He is also a major fan of Dogs. Oh, right….you should avoid talking mythology with him. The only one who has so far never fallen asleep during his talks on that is Sarah".

"Sarah…you mean the person who can do long winded explanations on psychology and sociology stuff?"

"Yeah…I think you can understand right?"

"Yeah…so when is he arriving?"

"It's around noon right? He is probably already in the forbidden zone".

* * *

(Ketsuki POV)

"And so, you contacted me to ask who he was? I would ask if you really had to go fight some random people in the Rank Wars you never met, but I know better by now".

"I cant help it! I heard a bunch of people were new when we got back, and such! And because of those annoying Stealth Gates, we got positioned in a different city just in case! I had no one to fight, so I had to do it!"

"And so, you decided to challenge the new kid on the block, the one from my Branch, Tora-kun huh?"

"Yeah! But he totally shut me out! Nine to one!"

"Wow. Your skill is now joke, but from what I heard he also has crazy skill and strength. He just lacks the experience of using those skills in the real world".

"Next time, I will claim more points!"

"Isn't he learning as well though….ah, well. I am about to arrive. Sounds noisy in there, gotta go".

And so, Ketsuki finally arrived at his destination. The rather homey looking and famlliar Tamakoma Branch. Last time he was here, Sarah only just made B-Rank, and they had less members. However, he could not help but notice a few familiar voices amid the chaos.

It seemed that despite the yelling though, it was quite peaceful. Although he noticed Yotaro and Raijinmaru seemed to be gone.

As he walked in, he noticed a very familiar voice he did not expect to hear among them.

"Ahhh, as expected, a good drink is just what one needs after a bath!"

He decided to enter the main living area to greet the voice and the others, and as he entered he saw Karasuma and a boy wearing glasses he did not recognize, casually enjoying juice, and Cylian Temba of Temba Squad, completely naked, standing by the fridge drinking something as well.

"Oh, hello Cylian-kun".

Ketsuki, from both his politeness and because he was familiar with Temba Squad being….well, Temba Squad, was not phased at all by Cylian being naked in front of him and acting like nothing was wrong. Then again, it was only guys there so he supposed it made sense why he was not embarrassed.

And meanwhile, Roku and Yachi walked in carrying another boy inbetween them, all of them totally naked. But the boy in the center was fidgeting, the only one embarrassed. And for some reason, there was a pair of dog ears on his head and a dog tail attached to his…well, where a tail might normally be.

"What…what the….why, you guys?!"

"Why? Why not? Its perfectly normal to be completely naked in your own home. You are way too shy, Tora-kun. Besides, you lost, so you gotta play the punishment game".

At that remark, Roku and Yachi tickled Tora from both sides, causing him to erupt into laughter. From what Ketsuki saw, the white haired boy was quite ticklish, and apparently the Neighbor known as Tora.

He was also able to see what he had heard as well, about Tora's scars. At first glance, they were not really visible, but because he heard of them he focused more on finding them, and surely enough he spotted them all over his body. Scars from operations and such. _So the stories were true….poor kid…_

After that, another boy came in and…well, it didn't really need to be said.

"Oh, hey Ketsuki. I see you are back".

"Cody. You got pulled into all this? I didn't expect you to give up your clothes so easily".

"Ehh, everyone else was, and it seemed like fun. We should make this a thing across all three sleepovers".

"Yeah!"

"Yay!"

"Nooo!"

"Outvoted!"

Ketsuki, who acted as if nothing was wrong at all, walked over to Tora and knelt down to eye level.

"Hey, so you are Rokuda-kun? My name is Ketsuki Kagerei, it's a pleasure to meet you".

Tora suddenly got extremely fidgety as he blushed.

"…I really wish we could have met in a less…embarrassing…way…"

"Oh come on Tora! This is your home now! Like we said, its normal to be completely naked at home!"

"This isn't your home though!"

"Its normal to be naked at a friend's home too!"

"Why did you attach these to me though?!"

"Punishment game for losing!"

And then….Ketsuki pet Tora a little, though he acted extremely polite about it and such so Tora only acted a little embarrassed. Incidentally, Tora was still wearing his collar too, so it made him look even more like a puppy. After that, Temba Squad finally pulled Tora over to have a drink while Cody walked over to Ketsuki non-chalantly.

"You know Cody-kun, I am not sure this fits your character".

"Meh, its fun and interesting and I don't really mind".

"Well, okay, maybe it fits it a little. Anyways, punishment game?"

"Ah. All five of us played Mario Kart, Tora got last place on the first game, now he is stuck like that till morning".

"Huh".

"What are you imagining right now?"

"What you would look like in all that".

"A really good looking dog?"

"You know, Cody-kun, most boys your age would blush if someone said that".

"Most boys cant tie, and sometimes defeat, Amo".

"Fair enough".

"Alright Cody! Time for round two!"

"Kay! Are we using this couch this time?"

"No no! Hold on! Aren't we going back upstairs?"

The five boys all ended up sitting side by side, though one was forced into the center and held there, and then turned on the TV and decided to play a game there. Ketsuki wanted to say it was an odd and surreal sight, but…

"Guess that means the bath is open…by the way, if all five of you…"

"Yeah, we all fit. None of us are particularly large, and those four are smaller then average so we could all fit".

"…right. Cody, keep watch over them".

"Always do!"

With that said, Daisuke and Karasuma decided to leave the place in Ketsuki's hands also and head out for the day, which left Ketsuki there with the five boys. He just shrugged it off though, and went to take a bath since the others were done and had occupied the downstairs. He thought at the very least, they could wear underwear, but Temba Squad was…different.

Actually, Ketsuki had decided to visit the orphanage that shaped their minds. Even though Temba Squad were donating large amounts of money for them, conditions were still meh at that point. He saw two lines of young children, one of five boys, and the other of four girls, standing stark naked to get a bath together, and they all shared the same towel as the others. They were finally able to eat three full meals a day, but given this was after Temba Squad started to donate money…well, Ketsuki got the idea.

He wondered how this orphanage had gone overlooked, but realized the cause was likely the invasion and the Neighbors. Everyone was so focused on that, the orphanage got easily overlooked. And because a lot of parents died in the invasion, there was a large influx of Orphans.

So he understood that while Temba Squad was a squad of goofballs, they also had been shaped by their own experiences and lifestyles. Still goofballs though.

As for Cody, he was Commander Kido's son. Even before Border went public, Cody was training with Triggers. Supposedly, he held his first Trigger when he was just three years old, and showed a natural gift for it. Cody had no Side Effect, no super Trion levels. But, he has a Black Trigger that he earned, and he had the ability to make A-Rank Solo. Simply put, Cody was an exceptional genius when it came to Triggers and fighting, predicting enemy movements and making them play along to his tune. He could even defeat Amo, even if some came to a draw or his loss, he was capable of it.

And Cody's Black Trigger…well, it was a Black Trigger that was extremely effective. With this, Ketsuki understood why they had delayed the raid on Colsaria. They were waiting for Cody, and probably himself as well. It seemed like they were calling back a lot of fighting power to deal with the raid and sending so much fighting force, they brought back all they could.

Well, if it was Cody, even if the defenses were insane and the fighting force top notch, they would be able to do something at least and at minimum have a good chance. Even not including his Black Trigger, his skill and ability are nothing to doubt and are not based on favoritism from his father. He earned his position of Youngest A-Rank, and then Youngest S-Rank.

Actually, Ketsuki himself wouldn't mind having a good spar with him some time. He was sure Amo already did, and he wouldn't mind one himself.

"Now that I think about it, Tora is practically at Black Trigger level without a Trigger, based on what I heard. I should have a spar with him as well".

That said, the moment he walked into the bathroom…

"…I suppose I should have expected this. Oi, you five! You should clean up the bathroom after you use it!"

"Tora's fault! He kept resisting!"

"No way! Its your fault for starting that splash war! It was also too crowded in that bathtub!"

"It's called being cozy!"

"I didn't cause the mess, so I wasn't going to clean it up".

As expected, even if Cody was mature and talented for his age, he was still a boy. Actually, his ability to shrug things off was probably higher then his skill with his Trigger.

"This can only be decided through one method! Wrestling!"

It seemed that the five were being rather active and…

"Wait a second! No! If you do that, do it in Trigger bodies! Tora, let go of them before you break them!"

Ketsuki realized the major flaw in the plan and moved to stop them before Tora won one-sidedly and caused any injuries.

"…good thing that person isn't here".

He said that while thinking about what would have potentially happened.

* * *

(Cody POV)

Cody found it pretty fun actually, hanging out like this. Helped him feel really close to everyone, after being gone for so long. But this was actually all going on for another reason. That was, making sure Tora would not brood, which he apparently had a bad habit of doing, or letting him accumulate stress from worrying over the approaching Raid. Even if he himself wanted to do it, this was a place that had nothing but bad memories for him.

Dignity aside, the place he would be approaching was his lowest moment for several years. All of this, everything he could experience, so long as he did not get caught by Colsaria or those like them ever again. It was something he could never forget or escape from, and from spending so much time around Tora while he was naked now, he could see those scars were extensive, and painful.

So after it was decided that the twins would be in charge of cleaning the bathroom disaster, Cody took Cylian and Tora down to the Tamakoma Training Rooms and he dragged Tora into a training room while he left Cylian to manage the systems. Incidentally, partially due to his Side Effect, Cylian was also qualified as an Operator. In fact, his Operator stats were pretty good. His combat stats were just better.

And standing inside the training room, he passed Tora a Trigger that had a different design then the usual Border Trigger, and he himself brought in a long box.

"You know why we are here, right? I don't just mean the training room. I noticed it earlier. It was slight, but…you know why me and Temba Squad are dragging you around on these sleepovers, why you were set up with Sthenos right?"

"…yeah. I suspected it a bit when Sarah-neechan was so supportive of me and Sthe-chan".

As Cody suspected, Tora was aware all of this was being done to distract him from the situation ahead. After all, his entire schedule had been totally filled up between the Rank Wars and the Raid. There was no way he couldn't notice.

"Then, we shall get straight to the point. During the Raid, I will also be participating and acting closely with you. Its unfortunately, but Jin's Side Effect even before it was weakened by that poison, is actually not as good with offensive raids like this also, so we should expect anything to possibly happen with it weakened. That is why, for effective reasons, I will be joining and working alongside Tamakoma-2".

"Wait, what?"

"Which is why we are here now. Tora, you are bad at working with people. You are just barely able to work with Sarah-chan and Daisuke-kun, right? Well, in truth those two tend to coddle you. I bet, you have not had a single match with them right? No, it might be you as well, I bet you don't want to fight them either, and create conflict, which is why you tend to submit to anything they tell you".

As Cody went on about Tora and his flaws, Tora looked to the ground with a look of sadness as Cody picked up his box. This was a pretty serious conversation, even if they both were still naked.

And then, Cody punched him right in the face. Tora's danger sense activated, but his emotions dulled his movement and it was so much of a surprise that he didn't dodge. Cody then grappled him, but Tora managed to break free and…

"That strength…you switched to your Trigger body?"

"Well, right here, right now. We are going to fight. I want you to learn the strength of the one joining you, and I want to know your strength as well".

"No, but…your still naked…"

"Oh, you can actually switch to a Trion Body that is wearing the exact same thing as you are wearing, even if its nothing. Well, if we are going to seriously fight…well, it seems silly to do so naked. Though, don't think Cylian will let you stay like that afterwards. Besides, I will be breaking your Trion Form in the end. Although in truth, most Black Triggers work in that way anyways".

Tora activated his Trigger, only nothing changed. Tora looked at the Camera with a red face.

"Cylian!"

"Just to be safe~"

"Guess I should have seen that coming…well, I can temporarily deal with it. Now!"

Suddenly, streams of black energy engulfed both of their bodies. Suddenly, the two were both wearing typical outfits that had a mix of kendo and samurai. They were still barefoot though, and nothing was covering their heads. But, the box that had been next to Cody had burst open, and a black sword was now in his hand.

"What is that weapon? Your Black Trigger?"

"Yeah, I wasn't carrying it with me the other day because I wanted to meet up with you and the other new people without htem recognizing me, but I ended up encountering you coincidentally in a rather strange way. This is my Black Trigger, and its got a cool few good uses like this".

"It manipulated my Trion Form even…just, what is it called".

"I am not sure the name completely fits, but….well, Ketsuki went crazy over it once. My Black Trigger is known as Murasame. As for what it can do…well, you are already smiling so I guess you want to start as well".

As Cody mentioned, Tora was indeed smiling already and had his Cyclones in his hand. That said, the Trigger he was using now was not a standard Border Trigger…it was a Trigger Reiji had made for him personally. But, Cody was not phased by this.

Cody immediately dived in, but Tora reacted by throwing the Cyclone in his off hand out and using the one in his main hand to strike at Cody using a swing to make it arc. Cody dove under it and lunged forward, but a Kogetsu had appeared in his off hand and blocked it. And yet…

"Magnify!"

Suddenly the force of Murasame became greater, and Kogetsu started to crack a little. Yes, the Kogetsu known for balance that was possibly the most durable for so long as being cracked. And also, the virtualized ground that was created inside this training room also cracked as if Tora was five hundred pounds that was dropped on it.

Tora was able to parry Cody even under those conditions though, and backed away.

"The ability to manipulate gravity, huh? That was unexpected".

Cody just smiled at him however, as he swung the blade across in front of him. As he did, a wave of shadow energy was fired from it and forced him to dodge it, though he did seem to predict the blow right before it came. So perhaps that was the obvious option.

"As expected of a Foresight type Side Effect, surprise attacks are normally meaningless against you".

"I believe you proved earlier there are exceptions".

"Well, to be fair, you needed to get punched for brood right there".

They conversed as we charged towards each other and attacked again. He tried to block with the Cyclones, but Cody once again nearly broke through Tora's defense. However, as they disengaged, Tora called forward a Trion Cube and launched a powerful Asteroid shot at him.

Cody was able to block the attacks using dark colored shields.

"The thing with Trion Technology, is that its both energy and physical matter at the same time. That is why it can be used to make attacks, and objects. Its why Kogetsu and Raygurst which are formed from nothing but energy have weight. The reason Lead Bullet works the way it does is also because of this, but…this is a fight, not a lecture".

As Cody said that, another gravity field was created around Tora to make him drop to the ground, but he remained standing and launched a huge amount of Asteroid and then Meteora at him. Cody continued to defend using those dark shields.

Tora was still able to move though, and used that attack to close in on Cody. Cody however created a reverse gravity field and sent Tora flying up into the air, but Tora used Grasshopper to redirect himself and shot himself towards Cody.

Cody struck at him the moment he did, but then was cut off as a wire obstructed his arm. It was not a wire from a wire gun, but a Cyclone wire. Tora had apparently thrown it ahead of time, and then used it to change his arc while using Kogetsu to strike at Cody's arm. The two passed by each other, and then looked back at each other.

Cody's arm fell off, but a huge cut appeared across Tora's body.

"Thanks to the gravity effect, any cut you get from this even if it shouldn't normally do much can do quite a bit" Cody explained as Tora's trion body was destroyed, and he was naked again.

"Well…we are not stopping here right?"

Cody just smiled as Tora regenerated his Trion Form, and Cody changed it again.

"Murasame can also let me make alterations and manipulate the Trion Body of whatever I hit. That fist from before? Even though you were not in your Trion form, it let me establish a link. Its better to use with allies then enemies though, but if I cut you with the blade, not only can the gravity increase damage and force, but I can disrupt the Trion flow of the area I cut. Basically, whoever gets cut with this sword will suffer".

"I see".

"Incidentally though, that is about all I can do. It wont shut it down completely unless I hit near a critical area, so it only increases my ability to hit a critical point by some degree. Its better with allies, because I can keep track of them, and even link thoughts with them if needed. That's why I can work with you better. I can use it to pair our minds. Now, how about we go another nine rounds huh?"

"Yes! I won't let you shut me out this time!"

And so, Cody and Tora clashed another nine times after that for a training session, and got Tora to feel a bit better about the upcoming fight.

After all, even with Tora's stats and Side Effects, he only won three times against Cody. However, there was once a match where Cody beat Amo eight to two, so that meant that Tora could potentially beat Amo.

After that, the five of them went back upstairs to the kitchen to play video games on the couch and drink some juice to refresh themselves, and Tora got embarrassed again when he remembered he was naked. Plus, there was the collar, dog tail, and dog ears, so it was extra bad. So they returned to video games, and the end result was...

Well, Ketsuki somehow still kept a calm face when he walked in and all the boys had Dog Tails and Dog ears attached while sitting around a TV.

"You all lost once?"

"...Tora was apparently only new to racing games. When we tried a shooter...well, pretty sure he made it so that we all lost once..."

"...its better if everyone has to do it too".

"Huh. I see".

"Wanna join in Ketsuki?"

"No thanks. I will leave it to you boys. That said, Temba Squad, when you go to your place tomorrow, everyone gets dressed got it?"

"Well duh".

"We aren't streakers".

"Indoors and specific places only!"

Ketsuki eyed Cylian, Roku, and Yachi a bit...

"Cylian, you and the twins cant make everyone go there using Triggers and leave all their clothing behind".

"...that was not the plan!"

"Uh huh. Well, have a good night".

And so, Cody watched as Ketsuki left to do his own stuff now that he was back and...

"By the way, Cody, what does Murasame me...hmmmhmhmmm?!"

And then Ketsuki appeared once more in front of them despite their attempt to muffle Tora before Ketsuki heard him. Incidentally, Ketsuki was a major fan of mythology and could speak for hours about it, so thanks to Tora's question they were stuck with him in the room watching them as he explained to Tora the mythology behind Murasame.

* * *

AN: Did you figure out where and who? And also, hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I had so many ideas for this chapter, but thanks to TATs and SS for helping make up my mind. I gota get in a bunch of comedy before hte action packed raid comes in after all. :3


	34. Yumi Subaru 2

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 31: Yumi Subaru 2

AN: And so, let us return to one that was originally introduced! A bit shorter then the usual ones lately, but this one is super important!

* * *

(Mei POV)

Among all the people that had come to Border during the night, while Tora, Temba Squad, and Cody were having their sleepover, there was activity and chaos of a different kind back at the base. But that should be considered natural. After all, Yuki Tsukiko who rarely ever does solo rank wars at the base was currently having one, and it was against someone else of note. She had a similar name as him even, and that was Yumi Subaru.

Her team was the latest to rank up to A, and so there was a lot of talk about her. During the recent invasion, she never took the direct spotlight due to the Champions, but apparently she had faced a Black Trigger user from Colsaria along with her squad and Karasuma. Indeed, Karasuma was even there right now, watching the match.

"I had heard she was good but…to think it was this extent".

"Yes. I saw it first hand, how she continued to harass that Black Trigger user. Even with us supporting her, her ability was practically matching my own".

Mei looked in shock as Kyosuke Karasuma said that, because she knew that Tamakoma was also in a league of their own. And surely enough it was showing right now. Yumi had Yuki on the ropes. Yuki was making effective use of teleporting and then attacking instantly, but Yumi was able to predict his teleport locations perfectly and not just block, but even counter attacked. That was actually how he got his first loss.

The score was four-three right now, in favor of Yumi. So far Yuki had managed to snipe her, shoot her, and then the last one was actually close. Yumi got defeated, but Yuki lost both his legs and his off arm. And so far he was not able to repeat a single trick against her. It was almost as if she had Ko's learning ability, but that did not seem to be the case.

"I heard that she practiced at a dojo, but this skill level is unreal. When did she start exactly?"

"From what I heard, three years old. And she was a natural".

"She is reading Yuki, and copying his moves…"

"She also used martial arts in her Trion Body to do damage to the Black Trigger user. At this rate, she might be a secondary candidate for Murasame if needed".

"I doubt Cody will give it up though, given what it means to him".

As that was said, the two looked back at the screen to where Yuki and Yumi were facing off with each other. Yumi had taken some damage, but Yuki was missing his main arm. The battle between two A-Ranks was fierce, and the longer it went the more attention it got.

"I wonder, you think Yuki will want to fight Cody next?"

"I hope he takes a break. How is his condition?"

"…"

"I see. Sorry I asked".

Mei didn't really mind it too much, but there was something that was bothering her. She figured that it was also the reason Karasuma was here as well, so it appeared she was not the only one. And the center of that focus was Yumi Subaru. She even suspected it was why Yuki might be fighting her right now, and the reason was simple.

During the invasion, she fought head on against a Black Trigger user and did well. That in itself did not seem strange or suspicious at all. The issue was her movements. During the invasion, she practically carved a path through the battlefield. To normal people, it might seem random, or that she was just going to the highest density areas. But Mei saw something that looked like it could be a pattern, as if she had actually been heading towards the spot that the Colsaria Black Trigger user would appear and then stayed in that area.

Not only that, but when communications were brought down, her team was still able to perfectly meet up and work together in a group. Her own squad had been together at the time of the invasion, so they were able to meet up easily, and so was Temba Squad. But a lot of other squads had to form makeshift teams. There were some others who were together already or just got lucky and joined up before the jam, but Subaru Squad was supposedly in completely separate areas. There should have been no way to meet up. No one else had really noticed because of all the chaos, but it looked like Yuki had some idea something was off.

"What do you know?"

Mei didn't feel like beating around the bush, and directly asked Karasuma.

"Nothing really…"

Mei gave him an annoyed glare as he seemed to dodge the question. But his next words changed it into surprise.

"…just that she fights like a Neighbor".

"Wait, hold on. Yumi? Are you saying she is a Neighbor like Tora?"

"Not sure its that simple. You see, I did a little digging discreetly. She has a birth certificate, and so do her parents. All signed and dated, all legit".

"That sounds like more then a little digging…"

"Maybe. That said, her grandparents are another story".

Mei looked at him with curiosity and interest.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, because of their age records for them are naturally spotty. So nothing is confirmed. Furthermore, the grandparents themselves are dead from old age. However, after I saw her fight I decided to take a look at the dojo…and the fighting style reminded me of several different Neighbors I have encountered".

As Mei heard that information, her brain started to connect the pieces.

"No wonder no one noticed anything. Even I cant come to a total conclusion with my Side Effect based on this. But I suppose it makes sense. Border has only been established for a few years. It makes sense Neighbors have been able to come and settle down here for longer".

"Of course, even you should realize there isn't even remotely enough to even be sure of our suspicions".

"Indeed. But at the same time…based on her actions, it is safe to say she is no normal Border Agent".

As they finished their talk, the final round ended. Yumi beat Yuki six to four. Yuki was the first to leave the booth as he approached the two of them.

"Satisfied?"

"Not really. I think she let me have that fourth win to hide her true strength. Well, plenty of others do that as well though, but she had moves even I found hard to follow. Not many people capable of that…"

In truth, Yuki could probably count them on one hand. Tora was actually one of them, but Tora was a bit unfair to include since he was artificially enhanced.

"Well, she seems to be friendly, so I see no reason to make this an issue right now. But I think we need more information".

Karasuma left with those words as he went to go congratulate Yumi.

* * *

(Tora POV)

"!"

In the middle of the night, I suddenly found myself bursting awake in my bed, gasping for air. A jolt of shock had went through my body, and my awareness came at me all at once. As I looked around, Temba Squad and Cody were all sleeping around me in my bed. Said it would make it more like a true Sleepover, and that this was how they always slept. As for Cody…well, he looked cool and confident even like this. The twins were happily snoozing and snoring, and Cylian…

"You are awake, huh?"

He was lying next to me in bed, with a bit of a drowsy look but otherwise awake. I turned a bit red, because we were all sleeping in….well, Temba Squad was Temba Squad. But something seemed different about Cylian tonight. I ended up turning away from him and pulling a pillow over myself out of shyness.

"…you were expecting me to wake up?"

"You are going to return to the place you consider hell. We all expected you to have nightmares".

"If you all expected me to, I am surprised Sarah is here. She definitely wouldn't wait outside just because we were naked".

"She is being…kept busy for now. Since now really isn't the time for her smothering. That would only cause an issue if you had a panic attack during the raid. What you need is to face the issue".

"Wow Cylian…you are actually being serious this time, huh?"

"I admit we might be a bit…rowdy. Maybe unreserved, chaotic, weird…"

"You stripped me naked and kept me naked the whole day, and I still have this annoying dog stuff on".

"The point is, its because of what we went through. Not just that it increased our tolerance for this, but…each day was a fight for survival. If we so much as got the flu, we might die. Hell, there were days where we had to worry about not getting enough food and dying of hunger. And then…we got offered this. A way to prosper. A way to make money. You know why we are almost as short as you? Its because we couldn't get the proper nutrition we needed. There were nights I watched as the twins grumbled in their sleep from the pain".

I knew all too well about how they felt, from my own horrible circumstances. I was treated as a lab rat, as a thing, for pretty much my entire life.

"So Tora, I know you. Maybe our style might not fit you perfectly, because the experiences were different. But, its because of all this bonding that you are here right now. Its because of this that people want to stand up for you and protect you. And its because of this you were able to wake up right now. Tell me, if we had not exposed you, made you feel all this, hang out the whole day like this and all those other times, can you honestly say our bonds of friendship would not be as strong right now, that you wouldn't have run off and closed yourself up?"

The moment he said that, I looked away and refused to answer. Although my reaction was a clear answer all in itself. Temba Squad grabbed my head and forced me to lock eyes with him though.

"You know, you are way too quiet and sky for a boy your age. You need to learn to express your true feelings more".

"What do you…"

"You don't want to go on the raid in truth, right? As much as you want to go and see it all burn, you also do not to go because of all the bad memories right?"

I began to tremble a little as Cylian hit the points right on the mark. It was true, it was all true. Even though I made all my declarations and statements, even though I fought and defeated a Champion, I was still afraid. And then…Cylian pushed me right into Cody's sleeping arms.

"Cody will be a good friend".

"You know, aren't you already my friends?"

"That is the thing about friends Tora. Boys like us are supposed to make tons and tons of them. And besides, Sarah might be good at protecting you but she can be a bit overprotective, using indirect means. As for Daisuke, he would rather take out issues for you then let you deal with them. But Cody? Cody will be the one that keeps a cool head, that lets you do what you need to do, but supports you without doing too much".

"It sounds like you respect him a lot".

"He was the one that convinced me to let Roku and Yachi join Border. The one who suggested our team make up, and offered ideas of how we could fight our way. He helped point out how we could make a lot of money and help the others this way. And he has always had our back from the start".

"You seem to have thought a lot about this".

"That is because Temba Squad's motto is a simple one. Do not care about morals or rules, regret or image. What matters is making fun and enjoyable moments, and celebrating the life we were given".

Tora finally yawned again, as Cylian had talked away all his stress that kept him up.

"…thank you…"

And of course, a few hours later as the sun rose into the sky…

"Cylian!"

I ended up storming into the kitchen area clearly upset. Of course, the reason why could be clearly seen. After all, there was marker writing all over my body. Cody came in too, both clearly drawn on in their sleep. I was so peeved I did not even care Ketsuki was in the room. After came the twins, who were also drawn all over in marker.

"Oh, wow. You know, if you stood still right now, you would make great art statues".

Ketsuki however just smiled.

"Guess you five will be taking the bath again".

"Five?"

At Cylians question, the four of us boys all took out markers.

"Oh…uhhh, I am usually up for crazy stuff but…the looks in your eyes right now are kinda scary….uhh, I gotta go early to make sure everything is in order!"

"Get him!"

"Don't let him escape!"

"Draw stars on his butt!"

"Don't think you can get away!"

And so another typical Temba Squad morning occurred.

* * *

(Yumi POV)

As it was another normal, peaceful morning, Yumi was sitting in a park peacefully watching the birds as she ate her breakfast. It was a rather nice and beautiful day, and she was enjoying it to the fullest.

And yet, there was another person that joined her. He looked like an average office worker, totally inconspicuous, sitting down next to her to enjoy his own breakfast and take in the view.

"Its quite the day today, isn't it?"

"Indeed. What a day it is".

As the two said those words, Yumi discreetly slipped him a folder after looking around.

"Its been awhile since you sent a report, Yumi".

"A lot has been happening, and I needed to confirm some things".

"I see. And in here is…"

"Tora Rokuda's medical reports are included yes, as well as reports on the rest of Tamakoma, and others including Tachikawa".

"Good good. And what about Tora? Is he as strong as we heard?"

"Very, and getting stronger by the day. He has training, skills, power, and strength, so the only thing he needs is real world experience".

"So like an uncut gem?"

"More like…a perfect diamond that doesn't fit in a spot yet. The more real world experience he gets, the more powerful he will get".

"So a valuable ally then. Will you be able to get him on our side?"

"That all depends on how this raid goes…and how he reacts to it".

"And what of the others? Does anyone suspect anything? I would think after the attempt to kidnap Tora, they might be more wary and alert".

"So far, they do not know what we know. We may want to manipulate information though, just in case we need to".

"Understood".

"And also…I hear that Cody and Murasame have returned. Data collection and observation on Murasame has been requested, as well as Fujin and…"

"Amo's is impossible and likely unnecessary. I don't think any analysis would change what we already know. As for Fujin, if we could get Jin to give it up it would be useful to test for sure. I already know I am compatible thanks to one time they decided to update the records on compatibility. As for Murasame…is it because of it's uniqueness? Or its power?"

"Both. Murasame is powerful even among Black Triggers. And because the way it was made was unique, it holds a lot of interest. Anyone with knowledge would see that. Now, if that is all…"

"No, there is one more thing. Tora plans to rescue the other prisoners during the raid".

"I see. Understood. We will move accordingly as well then. Keep up the good work, and don't blow your cover. The shadow of Border is still quite useful, after all. And…I wish you luck, on getting your little brother back from those Colsaria scum".

"Yes. And thank you".

* * *

AN: Wowza! Looks like Yumi has been doing stuff in the background...makes you wonder what is really going on, huh? Let me know your thoughts in the review!


	35. Secrets

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 32: Secrets

AN: Maya and her squad belongs to AwesomeSauce, Ketsuki belongs to Stupid Studios, and Temba Squad belongs to my crazy imagination. Also, a certain someone is making an appearance! :D

* * *

(Tora POV)

"Just…what the hell was that?"

"To think they went that far…"

I managed to speak those words as me and Cody left the training simulator. The two of us were back in our normal clothes, but just before we had been in our Trigger forms. And as for our opponents…

"That was sweet!"

"These will definitely help us".

"With this, we will kick Colsaria butt!"

The trio of Temba Squad had won the match, and the bet. I wanted to be in charge of the sleepovers now, but it ended up as a match to determine it. Me and Cody versus Temba Squad. Even though we were outnumbered, you would think that me and Cody would win but…Temba Squad used their special Triggers given to them for the raid.

"That was just…"

"…intense…"

"Now come on! It is time to head to our place now!"

Although me and Cody lost and were a bit down from that, we ended up smiling at each other.

"At least it wont be boring, right?"

"Yeah, that is one word for it…".

Meanwhile Ketsuki, who had come to down and watched the match, was rather impressed with the new triggers, as well as my abilities and Cody's ability to handle Murasame.

After that, the five of us left and began to head towards our next destination. Of course, in truth we had a bit of a secret agenda as well…

* * *

(Ketsuki POV)

With them finally gone, Ketsuki could finally get some peace and quiet. That said, he was a bit surprised Tora was willingly go along with this. After all, by now he should now how crazy Temba Squad could get, and Cody should definently know and yet he was risking it…

"Maybe I should go check on them, see what they are up to and make sure they are okay…"

Ketsuki started to head towards the door to go after them, when suddenly as he opened the door he was immediately barreled into.

"Eh? Ketsuki-sempai? Great! Me and my squad just get back, and we heard some really new strong people joined Border and stuff about a big invasion! Where is this Tora-kun I have heard about?!"

"I know. We talked yesterday, remember?"

"Oh, right. Anyways, where is Tora-kun?!"

"You seem a bit too excited to fight Rokuda-kun, at least compared to normal".

"I heard he was super strong!"

"Well, he, Temba Squad, and Cody-kun are together right now, having some fun before the big Raid. So, you might have to wait until after that. Speaking of which, now that your back, are you going to have some B-Rank Wars matches?"

"Yeah. Because we were gone to help with recruiting, we are starting low. That is why I want to fight him, its really unlikely we will be able to meet him in the Team Rank Wars now".

"Well, you never know. It might happen".

"Anyways! Where did they go then?!"

"To Temba Squad's apartment".

"Alright thanks! Later!"

And with that, Maya rushed right back at leaving a befuddled Ketsuki.

"Does she even know where they live? Also, they don't have any Trion Simulation Equipment there, so how does she plan to have a match with Rokuda-kun?"

With that, Ketsuki put his shoes on and prepared to go as well, since he had a strange suspicion now, except right as he walked out…

"Ketsuki-sempai! Have you see here our leader went?"

He was ambushed once again.

* * *

(Cody POV)

"Alright, it looks like we were not followed, and the false signal for Tora's tracker is doing its job. With this, we should be safe".

Cody reported that as he stepped back into the building, and locked the door behind him. It looked like it was an old garage, but had recently gone into use again. Additionally, there were clearly some new additions as well. Very advanced additions at that, not at all blending with the rest of the large garage.

This garage was actually an old building near Temba Squad's apartment, but was clearly retrofitted with all sorts of new stuff. This included a huge TV set, furnishings, but what was most notable was the Trion Equipment and a certain older man also there.

"Good. If Sarah-neechan or Kasumi-neechan learned what we were up to, they would get very upset and weird".

"Indeed. Isn't that right, Cronin-san?"

As Cody replied to Cylian's question, he then turned to the older man whose true identity was Mikhael Cronin, a Canadian and Tamakoma's Engineer…or at least, that was the cover story. All of that was true, but he wasn't Canadian…he was a Neighbor.

"I told you, no need for the formalities".

"Right right, my bad Mike".

"Anyways, with Tora's and Mimik's help, and with the Trion all of you have provided so far, I think after today our special projects will be ready. That said, I understand the reasoning, but do you really think all this secrecy was necessary?"

As he asked that, Cody looked back at Tora, and then nodded back to the engineer.

"Tora's abduction cant be a coincidence. The Agent that was a Neighbor, getting abducted by someone who is immune to Side Effects, at a time that not many people would normally be out, at that exact spot? Besides, Trigger Technology has already been shown to be powerful and incredible. My father knew it was only a matter of time for people to try and acquire and develop the technology after Border went public. Border has definitely been infiltrated, so for now we need to keep some things separated and covert".

As mentioned, it was always known that people would go after Trigger technology for their own. It was powerful, new, and clearly held power. Non-Trion weapons had little effect on them. In truth, aside from the fact that Trion was best developed in those younger, which was why many C-Ranks were between 10-13 years old, and that people under 20 were the only ones who could increase their overall Trion levels, it also helped as a safeguard against infiltration by those forces. In truth, it was extremely, extremely rare and unlikely for someone to be accepted into Border as a C-Rank that was older then 14, with people like the older Azuma being one of those few exceptions.

Military, Government, Police, even Firefighters. They all were just waiting to get a piece. And that did not even include the criminal elements. Countless criminals would just love to have that edge against the police.

"Anyways, this building is far more secure then other Border facilities. Thanks to Mimik and yourself helping with the security system, and the other counter measures done, this place should be fine. More importantly, did you manage to work in the other features?"

"Yeah, we got the modifications in already. I just hope you five are ready for a really long power nap".

Temba Squad, Tora, and Cody all nodded as they got some pillows. Due to Temba Squad's reputation of being out of whack, and the sleepover, it was extremely unlikely they would get interrupted. And between the five of them, their Trion totaled at 150 at least. Given that the average squad only had about 20-30 Trion at most, it was pretty clear that the sheer amount of trion they were using to create their secret project was intense.

* * *

(Maya POV)

Meanwhile, a certain someone was…

"Where the hell are they?!"

"Is that…Maya-chan?"

When she heard her name called, Maya turned around and saw Yumi Subaru, of Subaru Squad.

"Subaru-sempai? What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was on my way to school since I wanted to get some work done before the raid started, but…I got cleared by my teacher…and wished good luck in case I find my brother there".

At those words, Maya nodded as she recognized them.

"So its true? About Colsaria being responsible for the first invasion?"

"Not totally. They were involved, but it looks like they used it as a cover for their own abductions. Apparently, they even left fake bodies for some of them to hide their actions and not be followed, but from what we heard they didn't do it for everyone".

"…so its possible then? That they took my and Kaede's parents?"

"Well, its possible yes…but we wont know for certain. There is no guarantee they were taken by Colsaria after all, and if they were, there is no guarantee they will be at this facility".

"Is that your concerns on getting my hope up, or comforting yourself in case he isn't there?"

At those words, Yumi could not help but smile.

"Who knows. But while we need to be ready for disappointment, we can't lose hope either. Now, who were you looking for exactly?"

At those words, Maya remembered her original objective.

"Oh! I was looking for Tora-kun! I heard he was super strong and I wanted to have a match with him!"

"Well, he is busy with Temba Squad, Cody-kun, and so on. Besides, he is under a lot of stress. You should at least hold off until he gets back".

For a moment, Maya considered questioning on if he would come back, on the possibility he wouldn't, but something about Yumi made her feel that wasn't a possibility. So much that she didn't even think to question why Yumi suggested he was with more then just Temba Squad and Cody.

"Now come on. Since I have the day off and you do too apparently, lets go find your squad and have a girls day full of shopping and me probing about the boys you like".

"Yeah…wait, what?!"

"After all, I heard a rumor you actually have a crush on Cylian-kun".

"WhatWait wait what what!? Who told you that lie!"

"Just kidding!"

Maya pouted as Yumi

Maya pouted as Yumi revealed she was only teasing her.

"That said, have you heard about Tsuni's crush on Miwa? I heard…"

And so, those two went on their own adventure towards the shopping mall.

* * *

(Kranz POV)

Meanwhile, far off at the facility on the Lunar Island that held the Colsaria Facility…

"We have recently lost contact with several scouting teams. This has coincided with increased activity from the Neighbor Nations of Aftokrator, Surian, Nubia, and others. Most of the others seem to be a reaction to Aftokrator, but others might be moving on their own agenda. It is possible they have heard about the Champion Project, and are moving accordingly".

"And what of the next Champions?"

"We are trying to see what we can improve still, but two more have been produced with a third hopefully soon. We are also marshalling defenses. Based on the spies we have in place, their counter attack on us will happen. Soon".

"Excellent. But why is the third a 'hopefully soon'?"

"He is…resisting".

"Who is he?"

"Tachi Subaru".

At that name, Kranz' eyes lit up as he then pulled up the data they collected from Mideen and Border. He also brought up the subject list to confirmed, when he eyed another name.

"Subaru…and Miwa huh? I don't care about expenses, I want these two turned into Champions immediately. Use any method you have to. If we convert these two, then we can bring some of those Border Agents to their knees".

"Understood. We shall do everything we can".

As Kranz said that, he held his own trigger in his hand as he looked over the holographic display in the command room.

"Well now, Tora…come. Bring them all to me. You will lose, and then I will make all of them test subjects. I will throw you into despair to repay the humiliation and loss you caused me!"

"If you keep that attitude, you wont be prepared for them and you will lose this fight".

Kranz' little cocky attitude was overthrown as a voice reprimanded him. The man stepped out of the spotlight and towards Kranz.

"Coba. Should you really be saying that after you lost against Tora?"

"Hey, I was fighting multiple people at once. They were all quite skilled. Anyways, you are the one who tried to make him into the ultimate weapon, so you shouldn't be blaming me for proving you did something right".

Kranz clicked his tongue at Coba's words, and then looked back at his work.

"Whatever. I have requested the Nullifier, so we will be able to deal with them much more easily".

"The Nullifier huh? Guess they are getting serious then".

"And what about you? You don't seem anywhere near as serious right now".

"Of course. If I stayed stressed until they actually showed up, I would not be at my best. Well, good luck. You will probably need it".

Coba then left the room, leaving Kranz to his own devices.

"Seriously…that guy seems even more annoying then usual. Well no matter, Nullifier aside, I also have that little pet project as well".

* * *

(? POV)

Two figures in the shadows looked over the shattered remains of the Trion scouts that they destroyed, Nothing about them could really be made out though, only that they were there. That was proof of their skill and ability.

A third figure however was standing on the other side of the rubble, smoking what appeared to be some sort of cigar.

"Like I said. If you want information about your certain target, attacking these drones wont do a damn thing. That said…I have reason to believe a certain Colsaria facility will soon be accessible, more or less, with the data you are looking for. I can even give you the time and location…in exchange for some help, that is".

The man said that, with a business man like smile. It appeared that he had something on his mind. And he already knew they would accept, given their motives.

* * *

(Kido POV)

Commander Kido meanwhile watched from his office as the sun began to set on Mikodo City.

"One more day…and then, it begins".

"You worried about your son?"

In his office, Shinoda and Rindo were there too.

"Among other things. There are people moving in the shadows even now, and the day we feared may soon be approaching. We will have to be watchful, since I believe regardless of how the raid turns out, trouble will soon be approaching. And wondering…"

"No worries. We have the best on the case, and no way this could be done any better".

"…maybe, maybe not…well, we have one more day to prepare, and they have one more day of rest. And then, it all begins".

* * *

AN: Suspicious people are doing suspicous things, and sneaky people are doing sneaky things. And unknown people are doing...unknown things? Whatever! Who would you like to see go up against each other in B-Rank Wars?


	36. The Day Before

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 33: The Day Before

AN: Fair warning, this chapter went through a bit of rewriting because I didn't like what I originally had and I thought it needed refining. Sorry for the long wait and the insanity. But yeah, this wont be close to my best work.

* * *

Chapter 33: Ends and Beginnings

(Tora POV)

And so another day dawned as the crew ate at Temba Squad's apartment…at least for all of five seconds, until the group started talking about their plans and mentioned the festival.

"What's a festival?"

At my question, the eyes of Temba Squad lit up with shock and surprise.

"Wait wait, Tora has not experienced a festival yet?"

"Are you serious?!"

"Like really really serious?!"

"Ummm…yeah. Are they a big deal?"

"They are only one of the most important things of Japanese Culture! More important then hot springs, curry, and group bathing! More important then anime and manga!"

At those words, Mimik floated by.

"…that last one I am not sure about, but it is true Tora. Festivals are things of great value to the culture here. You wear special clothing, go out and experience food and games with friends with various others, and you get to watch fireworks".

All of that sounded really great and incredible, however one word puzzled me.

"Fire…works? Isn't it usually bad when things are lit on fire, or is that just a name like firetrucks?"

At my next question, every single person fell to the floor in shock at the same time while doing a spittake. It was really loud that it actually hurt my ears.

But I really had no clue what these fireworks were. I think I might have heard the name before, but I never really got an answer that I could recall.

"Roku. Yachi. Grab him".

Before I could do anything, Roku and Yachi grabbed me by the arms and lifted me up into the air so my feet could not touch the ground.

"Cody, get the measuring tape. We need to get all of Tora's measurements stat, then you need to order a Yukata for Tora. Then, me and the twins will proceed to wash him as quickly and vigorously as we can. Then we will leave immediately after we all clean up. But we absolutely need to have no delays and maximize the time Tora can experience the festival for".

"Come on guys…isn't this too much?"

"Sorry Tora, but I have to agree given the fact you don't even know what fireworks are. Now hold still, I need precise measurements".

"Eh…ehh…wait that's ticklish! No! No! Noooo!"

* * *

(Kasumi POV)

Kasumi Yamato, Operator to Temba Squad, was listening in on their conversation from the other side of the front door. She had been about one second away from stopping those crazy idiots from doing something so embarrassing and humiliating to Tora, but stopped after she heard the fireworks comment.

"…That really is a serious issue. I think I will forgive them this one time".

Incidentally, while she was not happy with Temba Squad putting Tora through such an embarrassing experience, she did agree with them about the importance of festivals and fireworks. She then walked away and called Sarah immediately.

After some ringing, she finally picked up.

"Kasumi-san? What is it? Did something happen with Tora? Can you get pictures?"

"Sarah, stop teasing Tora. I need to know, just what have you been teaching him? I just overheard a conversation that Tora doesn't know anything about festivals or fireworks!"

"Trust me, I was getting there, but…there were issues I had to prioritize".

"Like what?"

"Like teaching Tora not to leave the oven on, not to touch a hot oven, about remembering to close the fridge and freezer, specifically making sure he does not accidentally go to anything inappropriate on TV, and to never, ever watch an R-Rated movie".

"…wait, are you serious about the oven thing? Shouldn't his danger sense detect that?"

"It only gives him a minor reaction sometimes because he is highly resistant to it, but otherwise not. However, there are also serious issues with other things as well! That is just the tip of the iceberg! With no help from Konami, Tora thinks its okay to beat up any bad person, even if they are just some sixth grader bully! I am trying to teach him otherwise, but then he kept asking questions like 'But what if I see them hurting others' or 'But they hit me first'!"

"Whaa…"

"And he wants to drive all the time now! Could you imagine all the potential damages?!"

"Wait wait…"

"And not just that, but he still broods like crazy! I keep having to try different things, but he keeps doing it! He recently brooded while I was scolding him on brooding!"

"Do your best~"

Kasumi immediately hung up the phone, and held her head. Tora sounded like he was as bothersome to deal with as Temba Squad, maybe even more so. At least Temba Squad usually listened, or pretended to listen, when she scolded them. At least they didn't fill up Kido's desk with pie for a second time…yet.

"Yeah…I don't feel like I have the energy right now to deal with all of them…how is Cody even managing? Or is he just going along with it because he finds it amusing to watch? Uhg, I need some coffee".

* * *

(Tora POV)

After the events of this morning, and the reactions to what I said, I was quickly rushed by Temba Squad and Cody and we made our way quickly to Cody's house.

Or rather, I should say Cody's mansion. It was a more traditional styled Japanese house, but it had been adapted to be more modern. Additionally, it even had a basement with Trion simulation rooms, its own security system, and really nice. It was also walled off so it was clear what the boundaries of the properties were. There was a large scale pond in the back even. After the tour, we ended up sitting off the back porch with our slippers off.

"Just so you know, that pond doubles as a pool. But first of all…"

Cody picked up a strange box that was resting on its own by the back door, and looked towards Temba Squad. Before I could run away, Temba Squad suddenly picked me up again and stripped off all my clothes, while Cody then handed them what appeared to be a Yukata and had them force me into it. It was so fast and sudden I had no time to relax.

Once they finally put me down, I was kind of embarrassed even though I should be used to this…also, it felt a little big on me.

"My shoulder keeps coming into view! I thought you took measurements!"

"Yeah. This was probably the smallest size they had in stock. You are really tiny after all. Well, that is what happens when you have to order quickly like this".

"I am not tiny! Are you sure this is normal? It feels weird…"

"You get used to it. You went to a hot springs before right?"

At that mentioned, my mind seemed to spiral elsewhere. Not brooding though, this time my face made an expression of bliss. Cody and Temba Squad looked back at each other.

"When we get back, hot springs trip".

"Agreed".

"Yep!"

"Totally!"

I would have reacted, but I was still daydreaming about hot springs. I was still a bit shy, but I would totally be fine with being naked if it meant soaking in a hot springs. It was, without a doubt, completely worth it. Hot springs were amazing.

Incidentally, on a certain BBF someone, Hot Springs were listed as one of my likes, along with chocolate and friends.

After that, the others also got changed. Apparently, they wanted to have us all ready at a moment's notice so we could go to the festival immediately and maximize the time there. It seemed that my words really seemed to light a fire, as even Cody who normally maintained a cool appearance had a fire in his eyes about this.

"Are festivals really this important?"

"Yes!"

They all shouted in unison at my unintentional mutter. Given that some of them were out of the room, I was impressed with that reaction…and a bit scared.

Little did I know that I would be meeting someone there who would be very important in the future.

* * *

(Sora POV)

As day became night, in a certain area of Mikodo City instead of activity going down, it instead it got to be very more active instead. Indeed, that was because there was a festival going on tonight, partly to inspire and give luck to the Border Agents that would be going on a rescue and information gathering mission.

And among those there to celebrate was Sora Azuma, the younger Azuma brother, and one of his squadmates, Mizuki. As for where their squad leader, Tsuni Bakaro was…

"I don't think Miwa-sempai would really come to one of these things…"

"Mmhhm. You are probably right Sora-chan, but that wont stop her from hoping and looking for him".

"Tsuni-nee really likes him a lot, huh?"

"Yeah…"

They had come to enjoy themselves as well, and they knew of various many others that were involved and…

"Oww! What the hell! You shot me with an arrow!"

"Keep your perverted hands to yourself. And Sthenos, keep your clothes on!"

Mizuki and Sora just looked at each other and shrugged.

"I guess Senzai Squad are here too".

"Sounds like they got themselves at the center of trouble".

"Well don't worry, I am sure Mizu-nee ca….oww!"

As Sora was speaking, as if he jinxed himself, another boy came barreling into him at full speed.

Mizuki immediately went into full on overprotective mode, and as she helped Sora back up she glared at the other boy.

"What the hell were you thinking?! You could have seriously hurt Sora-chan!"

"Eh? Hey, you don't have to take that tone with me! Jeese, sorry, but really busy here!"

As he said that, he got up and began running in the direction he was before…

"Oww!"

Only to tackle into someone else.

"Hey! Don't run away from me when I am talking to you!"

"Now now Mizu-nee, we are here to have fun and no…Tora-kun?"

As the two approached the second collision, they noticed the one he ran into this time was Tora.

"…why is my luck so bad…"

"Hey! What is your name! You are causing serious issues and injuries here!"

"Fine fine. Jeese, you people are all so finicky about a small collision. The name is Raos. Now excuse me, I got stuffs to do!"

And on that note, Raos looked back at Tora, shrugged his shoulders, and then got up and ran off again as Tora stood back up.

"What the hell with his problem. And his speech was so casual and impolite for people he only just met, and ran into".

"I don't think I have seen him around before…maybe he is new? From the country or something?"

As Tora stood up, even he looked puzzled. Sora walked over to him with a concerned face.

"Are you okay?"

"Uhh…yeah. Its just…dunno, something seemed off about him right?"

"Whatever Tora! We have no time to think about impolite strangers! Sora-kun, Mizu-chan, get this! This is Tora's first festival!"

"Huh?"

"Seriously?"

"And even worse, until this morning he did not know what a festival or even fireworks were!"

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!"

At that revelation, the two looked at him with shock and ultimately forgot about Raos completely.

Instead, the group of six made it their mission to have lots of fun at the festival and show Tora around. First, they showed Tora to some of the games at the booths. He was not so good at the guessing ones, but as for the ring toss and airshot guns, he aced them perfectly. That said, as they were moving on…

"That ring toss game was especially challenging. I mean, how do people usually cope with the microadjustions they made to make the weight only just uneven enough to barely be noticeable?"

"…so that's why Tora was the only one that won that…"

"Figures they had it rigged. Probably only way they think they can make a profit".

As for the airshot, that was normal…but of course, due to Tora's upbringing, his accuracy and eyesight were on the level of cheating. Even stuff that normal people could not do, Tora aced them.

Although when it came to guessing games, trivia games, and such he failed miserably. So long as they didn't rely on Slight of Hand.

Also at one point, Roku got him a hot dog but snuck hot sauce under it. And it was not normal hot sauce either, it was at the level of hell, so Tora got hit hard with it.

Cylian introduced him to other foods as well, to expand his pallet further. That was, until it was finally time.

"Quickly! Over here! Over here!"

Sora and Mizuki dragged the boys over to their own spot they found, as it was about time for the fireworks to start. Initially, it seemed like nothing, and Tora was confused…and then…

"Pop! Pop! Pop!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Things were shot up into the night sky, and exploded in a brilliant display of colors and lights. It started with just a few, but then more and more got launched and decorated the night sky above. It was a brilliant display of colors, shapes, and so on that fascinated all who witnessed it.

And Tora, who had never seen fireworks before, was absolutely fascinated by this display. The festival alone had already wowed him, with the music, the games, the food, and the people. It was all so warm and inviting, so wonderous and brilliant, he got totally lost in his emotions.

"…beautiful…"

* * *

(Raos POV)

"…beautiful…"

Incidentally, Raos uttered the same words as he saw the fireworks. And then, a hand was put on his head and pat him as the older boy it belonged to, around seventeen years old probably, walked to stand behind him.

"Indeed. It is beautiful Raos. Maybe when we are done with what we are doing here, we can come back some time if we are lucky, or bring some back with us. But first…"

As he said that, the older boy looked towards the ever towering Border Base.

"We need to find the thief that stole from us, and spread our ideals".

"Yep! We will certainly do it, Rune-niichan!"

And so with those words shared only between the two of them, the night went on and on until the next morning came…and when the raid on Colsaria would begin.

* * *

AN: And so new characters are appearing once more! But they are not the only ones! Muhahahaha! Anyways, I hope you enjoy! And also, here is a question: If you had to join a squad, canon or one of my OCs, who would it be and why?


	37. Raid 1

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 34: Raid 1

(Cody POV)

The wind was a nice, moderate breeze at the moment standing on top of the Border Base. Cody was enjoying it as he and the others began to arrive and prepare for the raid on Colsaria. Countless strategic meetings had been held that morning alone, Tora going over their defenses again and again. From what Cody understood, this was going to be a huge undertaking and a huge risk. But allowing this Champion program to go any further was not possible, not with the risk it posed.

Amo was able to take out one champion, but inversely one champion was able to occupy Amo for a long period of time. It was a major threat in that case, and they would only try to upgrade it more and more. If it was allowed to stand, they would surely get overrun sooner or later, and the window to Colsaria was closing.

He looked back at Murasame, his sword and Black Trigger, as he pondered everything. He knew that most likely, at the end of all this, there was a chance of incuring loss. Of losing people. But on the other side, they would lose everything if they didn't. He understood this, even as he sat cross legged on the roof of the base.

"Well well" said a familiar voice, breaking his train of thought. "You doing okay Cody?"

"Yeah, its all good Yuki...just thinking about how many ways this could go badly".

"You know Cody, you could let yourself relax a little".

"Do you?"

At that remark, Yuki could not help but twitch a bit.

"Well unlike you, I am not a natural leader".

"I dare you to say that seriously with a straight face".

"Its true Cody. Sure, my squad looks up to me, and a few others, but I wont be around forever and my squad is just a bit special. People like you are the real natural leaders. They just follow and obsess over me, but you truly can lead people".

"Maybe...but you shouldn't sell yourself short either. A good leader can lead sure, but a great leader continues to lead people even after they are gone. My father can do that, but I don't think I am there yet".

At that note, the two of them looked over at Tora.

"You know you will need to protect him right? And I don't mean about the security or the assault".

"So you noticed it too? He is hiding it well, I don't think Sarah has noticed it yet. Or maybe, she just doesn't want to".

"I think its both. Don't worry, I will make sure to protect his heart and soul, not just his mind. Though...depending on his conviction, I may have to let it happen".

"Yeah...with the shadow holding over him".

Before they could continue the conversation however, the signal was finally let loose. That signal of course being the new modified transport ship rising from the base interior and landing on the roof in front of them. This ship was going to be run by Mimik along with a border higher up. Everyone was waiting in anticipation to see which Border official would be operating it with them to help with that raid. And as the ramp lowered, and he walked out...

Everyone's jaws dropped, because it was Commander Kido.

"Dad?!"

Even Cody was surprised by this.

"Yes. I do have a pilot's liscence after all, and I have experience handling these things. And also, I wouldn't approve of this plan if I wasn't going there personally to show everyone it would be okay".

Surely enough, a lot of the worries and even a few doubts were already cleared the moment Kido appeared in front of them.

"Now, get in. Its time to start this thing and go over the plan one more time".

Cody looked at Yuki, and then they along with everyone else activated their Triggers as they boarded. Each of them went to their designated areas, and secured themselves.

Cody and Yuki ended up sitting in the same area as Temba Squad, Williams Squad, and a few others as they strapped into their seats. They were passing around all sorts of snack foods to everyone.

"Do snack foods even do anything when in Trion Bodies?"

Suzu ended up asking this as she sat down with them.

"Not sure, but we figured it would help calm nerves in any case".

Suzu took one as they said that, a bit impressed.

"You know, its hard to remember sometimes that you three can actually be quite mature and sincere..."

And then she took a bite, and her eyes watered a bit.

"...for so many reasons why".

As she said that, Toby and Take who had already consumed them had their own reactions. Toby seemed okay, but concerned about something and muttered something about a bathroom, while Take was clearly on fire.

"Don't worry, not all of them are spicy".

"Uh huh. Sure".

"Hey, everyone. Hope your strapped in, because we are launching now!"

* * *

(Tora POV)

While everyone else was in back, I was in a place I did not expect to be. I was sitting right behind the command pilot's seat, in which Commander Kido occupied. This was supposed to be where his upper echelons sat apparently, or the next highest in command, so I had no idea why I had been placed here.

And once we had finished preparing for launch, one of the Operators that would be here on the ship assisting gave an alert to the rest of them. After that, the ship which had been enlarged and enhanced thanks to me and Mimik quickly but silently took off as a gate appeared in front of us, and we flew through.

"Agent Rokuda, do you know why you are here?"

"Because you still don't trust me and want to keep an eye on me?"

I gave a generic guess.

"No. Cody assured me you would be good. Why do you think he was around you the whole time even though Temba Squad was there?"

"...fair point, its hard to go long term with Temba Squad. They are insane half the time. So then why?"

"There are three reasons. One, I have a vague idea of what you are also planning to do here, and I want to let you know whatever you decide it wont affect your position at Border".

At those words, I gripped my fists. I had not been aware that it was realized, despite me trying to hide it.

"The second is because my own views aside, you are not a typical neighbor...and because you are proof that not all Neighbors are the same, you may need to get more acquainted with the BOrder support staff so you could be one of the faces of change".

"And the third?"

"Because no matter what, this is your op. You got the intel, you made all the plans and said what would be needed where. You pointed out just who and what would be needed and how. So while I might be the Commander of the entire Border Defense Agency, for this mission you are the Operational Leader".

"Wait wait...are you saying I am the second in command?!"

"Thats right. After all, this is your plan after all...arrival in five seconds. I hope you are ready to give the orders you yourself created, Agent Rokuda".

(AN: So this next part I will try to make as clear as possible, but to help let me note here. The next scene involves the plan being executed simultainiously as a flashback occurs where Tora was explaining it to everyone)

I recalled perfectly what was said that day too, with the visual displays from the holo projector.

"SO the moment we arrive, there will be three issues we have to deal with. The first is that the entire facility has a giant regenerative Trion Shield that will prevent anyone unauthorized like us from even entering the airspace of the Lunar Island".

Tora interfaced with the hologram, and brought up the island, the facility on it, and the barrier dome covering the whole thing.

"There will be no landing zone, but we cant equip weapons to the ship either due to the second issue. The massive AA guns attached to the facility. They will constantly fire at us and where we try to evade to. Our pilots will have to do everything they can to not be shot down, and wont be able to fire at the shield to break a section of it open for an opening. However, we also wont be able to land until we destroy the massive shield".

And as the ship arrived, that was shown true as the dome prevented us from getting close, while AA guns had already locked onto us and began firing.

Meanwhile, back in the meeting room, Yumi showed concern.

"Then how will we be able to land?"

I showed a bit of a wry smile, something that seemed unlike me...and drew the concerns of many, fearing Temba Squad had drawn out my pranksterish side.

"Simple, we jump".

And as the ship flew over where land was, the countless agents on the ship jumped with Temba Squad going first and taking the lead.

Which back at the meeting room, shocked everyone initially. Including Cylian.

"Jump? Thats insane! The shield would just deflect us!"

"Not if you open us up a hole Temba Squad, if we utilize a Trigger developed for Tamakoma called Connector with your three Ibis rifles to make one large cannon".

And in the air, Temba Squad followed the plan perfectly. They took out three Ibis rifles, and used connectors to link them all together to synergise. With this, their output would become greater then if all three fired seperately.

And then, as I explained in the meeting room...

"You fire one large shot, and break a massive hole into the barrier for us to dive right through and land on the ground".

"Hold on though, you said there was a third issue?"

"Ah yes...there will be gunships and interceptors coming. They will try to shoot us out of the sky before we land. We cant let htem hit a single one of us, because it wont end at a single one. Thankfully, me and Commander Kido have found...a solution".

And back on the ship just thirty seconds ago...

"Agent Rokuda. Its time. Prepare your second Trigger".

"Understood".

And then in present time, as mentioned those gunships and interceptors that had detected them were flying from the base and heading right towards them. They all looked rather meanacing and problematic...and then, what appeared to be an old fashioned bi-plane emerged from the cargo deck of the modified ship...being piloted by Commander Kido. And at the same time, I activated my Neighborhood Trigger...only this time, not on myself. The ring went over and transformed both Commander Kido and the Bi-Plane, just like I had done on the car during the invasion.

And then, Commander Kido proved both his veteran skills with a Trigger and his pilot's license at the same time.

"That was their plan?! COmmander Kido himself is fighting?!"

"NO wonder he came with us...and why we could bring Operators with us".

And then, I continued pointing out the plan with that settled, directing the focus back to the holo projector.

"Now, the first thing we will need to do is secure a Forward Operations Post. This small base will be to not only house and protect the away ship, but we will also have an artillery piece there to provide us support".

"HOld on, how are we going to manage that?! We don't have anyone who can just poof up a base! We would have to build it!"

At those words and those of many others, I had looked towards the three who remained silent...and looked rather eager as well.

Temba Squad seemed to understand what would happen.

"Oh...oh this sounds really fun. Special Triggers then?"

"Indeed. And so right after you deploy the special built in Trigger for this, the Windbreakers...".

And in realtime, as they got closer to the ground, everyone utilized a new built in Trigger that used up almost no Trion...a parachute that was designed to help provide maximum control once used to where one would land. This allowed the agents to all hone in on a clearing specified in the maps they had where the ship could land and the base be deployed.

Once Temba Squad landed, each one activated a Trigger. First was Yachi, who utilized the special Assault Base Trigger "Assault Base". Using a massive amount of Trion, practically all of one's Trion if their Trion was level 10 in the BBFs, a good sized base suddenly appeared which included trenches, firing holes, blast doors, and barriers that could be regenerated and redeployed.

Next was Roku, who deployed his Assault Base Trigger "Base Defenses", which after scanning the placed Assault Base deployed Turrets, Mines that would respawn in exchange for a Trion Cost, Automated Drones, and even more turrets, along with a Trion Restoration System to anyone left with Temba Squad on defense to restore their own Trion Levels. This would allow them to completely defend the base and the away ship.

And then finally, it was Cylian who used the final Assault Base Trigger "Mega Cannon", a simple and aptly named Trigger that was far more powerful then any other turret. It had the highest Trion Cost of all, but unlike the other defenses which had multiple objects only it would need to be maintained and restored by Cylian. It had high damage and long range. It would be able to destroy a Champion in a single hit along with the surroundings, or any other strategic target they needed. However, they couldn't fire it at everything. While it had a good number of shots, they couldn't just fire it at random.

With all three combined, it would form their Assault Base instantly and would be maintained by Temba Squad.

"...you had all these Triggers built for that purpose?"

"Yep. With this, we have a place to stash our ship, wont have to worry about Champions targeting it, and we even have air support from that one solution. Which means, all you have to do is focus on the ground invasion. That reminds me, we are looking into a way to make that easier as well..."

And back on the ship, I monitored the holo projector showing the battle progress.

"Alright team leaders! I am going on the move and joining my squad along with Cody once we land. Prepare for engagements and defend the base while it forms!"

In the meeting room, that did cause some concern.

"HOld on, how long will it take for the base to form?"

"We expect it will take around fourty five seconds. Any damage to it could seriously damage its final form, or risk depleting a large amount of Trion from Temba Squad. And the moment you all land, the Beasts will come at you".

"Beasts?"

The moment the squads landed, out of hte forest strange creatures that almost looked like Trion Soldiers rushed out and attacked with Trion claws and so on.

"They were created back when they were doing mass live concept testing on animals. The very first, very unstable, and very vicous survivors of the Champion Project. These are the ones that managed to survive and managed to keep control of. And despite the low survival odds at hte start...well, they did a lot of mass tests".

It was made clear to them I had not been joking as they were attacked from all sides by the things. Subaru Squad, Shun, Tamakoma-2, Miwa Squad, Senzai Squad, and many others all were there and worked together to hold them off while the base formed and the away ship came in so it could dock the moment it was done.

"And following the Beasts, which you should put out of their misery quickly...will come the Trion Soldiers. Mainly beast types to start with, Volvers and Tratchens...err...you would recognize them as Wolves and Hawks".

And surely enough they did follow, in huge numbers. This was a large scale battle, just like the invasion. Only this time, they were on the offense.

"But watch your sights, not all will be hostile".

"Wait what?"

And as they emerged, large groups of those Trion Soldiers began attacking the Beasts and other Trion Soldiers.

"After all, I can hack Trion Soldiers. Though usually without good pre-emptive warning like this, and the fact I am familiar with Colsaria Trigger Tech, I would be able to be this effective. Frankly, after the raid it will probably expose my methods, so we should take full advantage of this before they find some patch for my best exploits".

"...you have multiple exploits? You know, your character didn't seem computer geek".

"Well you know, its been confirmed from the start that I could do this. Did no one pay attention to the part where to escape, I hacked into and reprogrammed Mimik?!"

"...oh yeah, it has been there all this time".

And so, with that turn of events and the actions of all the agents, the base finished forming. I predicted that this would be the outcome...I think...

"...why am I the second in command? I have no experience leading people. I barely have real world experience, let alone with people..."

"What was that, Tora-chan? We couldn't hear that over comms cause you mumbled it".

"Nothing! Just considering what countermeasures they might activate first!"

As I said that, once the Away Ship docked I quickly ran out and joined Daisuke, Sarah, and Cody.

"Alright, lets head out".

I was still reflecting back to that day though, making sure I didn't forget a step...I was quite nervous with being a leader.

"After we land, it will still be a long distance from the base. Trion Soldiers and their own defense cannons will try to hit us, but they wont be powered immediately due to them focusing power into the AA guns. That means we should make the most of that opening to close the distance using a special surprise..."

"Now, activate vehicles!"

And with that, all captains used the special vehicle Triggers distributed. We couldn't land closer because then the AA guns would definently hit our away ship, so the distance was unavoidable. That was why we made the use of specialized vehicles. They looked like Pickup Trucks with Trion Shielding, only the backs had seats in them to hold the rest of one's squad and an entire other squad. The people in the back would take out incoming Trion Soldiers so the drivers would only have to focus on getting closer to the base.

"And at this point, we should have absolutely zero losses. If we have taken losses by now, something has gone terribly terrible wrong".

Daisuke looked over ot me as we rode in the back and smiled.

"Wow. I totally expected you to jynx us back then".

"We would be doing better if I was driving. This person is not fast enough. Also, it was never about jynxes or luck. No matter what bad luck we had, there were contingencies in place and leeway given. So I would not celebrate yet".

"Well we are going to see the base any second now!".

And then, I zoomed in the hologram of the base during the meeting.

"Now, once we get close to the base, do not drop your guard. Instead, raise it to maximum. After we avoid these areas, which are filled with highly explosive mines, and get close to the base...that is where the real fight begins...and we start to lose people. We need to get as many people inside as we can".

Yuki looked over at me from the other side of the truck now, and nodded.

"So now its our turn right?"

"Yeah".

At the meeting, I turned towards Yuki next and other Teleport users.

"Once we have the base in view...".

And then me, Yuki, and hte others looked towards the base.

"...we share the data with Cylian, who uses the Mega Turret..."

And then, soon after we heard a loud sonic boom...followed by the large wall of the lab, which had several dozen stories to it, getting blasted open. However, even with the artillery it was only a small hole and only showed access hallways, but it was enough.

"...who gets the advance team an opening to cause havoc inside".

After that, all the teleport users moved in. Only, one member instead of using a normal Teleport, used the experimental Group Teleport to take others in. That included me, Shun, Cody, Daisuke, and Sarah. And a few others from other squads did the same, gaining access to multiple floors and getting us into the facility.

"And this is where the real raid...the real difficulty begins. Because without isolating ourselves, we have to go and cause as much damage and confusion as we can before they realize we are there and rally together".

* * *

(Kranz POV)

"Sir! We just got hit! There is a large hole in our base!"

"Excuse me, Doctor...err...Prince...err...we have reports of a white haired boy causing extensive damage on the West Side!"

"Wait...I just got a report! White haired boy on the East Side now! They believe it is the test subject!"

"But...how could he be?"

"He is too fast! He is indiscriminently running around the base destroying anything, firing these explosive Trion cubes!"

"And he is also punching, litterally punching his way through! We have confirmed sightings, an ATS is with him!"

"More intruders filling through the center! And one group is plowing a direct path to the cells!"

As everyone in operations, who lacked experience as they had never had anyone attack or even expected anyone to attack, Dr. Kranz who had experienced real action during the invasion could see what was going on a bit more clearly.

"Alright people, calm down. This is their objective. Keep us confused by attacking everywhere at once. Tora must also be causing all this chaos for his own survival, he doesn't want us to lock onto his location I bet...but, I suspect he will go and assist the squad heading directly towards the holding cells. Deploy a Champion there, and get the other one finished as..."

Kranz was temporarily interrupted though when he saw who was heading towards the holding cells.

"Yes. He is definently headed there. That person would have made him promise to help him find his sister after all. Dont just send a Champion, send other reinforcements as well. I don't want to take the risk".

"But are we really sure? He is moving so fast, its like he is in two places at once".

"Of course. He is afraid of us. He doesn't want us to isolate his location. Any other suspicious movement?"

"There are a few people heading towards the stasis tubes that are holding the recent captures. I think they might even be monitoring the big catch".

"Then intercept them at once! I want to crush little Tora's hopes into dust and shove it in his face!"

"Understood! Deploying defenses!"

* * *

AN: I hope you enjoy! The raid has finally begun! And I really did want to have one of those moments where you have tow scenes, the planning scene and the execution scene, play back to back so I hope it was good! Anyways, please leave a review, and if you could answer this question! What did you think about the strategy, and about everyone's roles so far?


	38. Raid 2

World Trigger: Genesis

Chapter 35: Raid 2

AN: Sorry for the delay, summer blues, funk, colds, and ect. Please leave some reviews to get my motivation and inspiration back up to speed!

* * *

(Kranz POV)

"What is the situation?! Where did they breach?! Isolate that brat immediately!"

"This is...we are detecting simultainous destrucction in multiple areas! They are branching out, and already spreading across the base! We have confirmed...three access points have been made currently!"

"Three?! How many do they have?!"

However, the man running the systems seemed to go silent for a moment.

"Our attackers...are not just Mideen..."

* * *

(Viza POV)

"I must say, I was worried we came all this way for nothing" Viza mentioned as he and Hyuse walked through the hallway. "Personally, I am not a big fan of such smoke and mirror tactics, but we cannot really ignore how Colsaria has been stealing our information".

The two neighbors from Aftokrator mentioned that as they dealt with the minimal security they faced, having infiltrated on the opposite side of where Border was attacking. Of course, others from Aftokrator were also with them and dealing with their own objectives. However, these two were also aiming for another prize, the data on these Champions they were creating. After all, information was a vital component of war.

"Is it me, or is there a bit too much chaos though?"

"Maybe. Right now, lets just focus on the objective".

"Thats right. I guess you would be motivated most of all to get this done, Hyuse".

However, before they could continue a grid of Trion lasers formed as a wall, blocking the path ahead while automated turrets popped out of panels that opened up on the walls, ceilings, and floors and immediately open fired. The two took cover almost immediately, but they were currently being pinned down.

"Well now! I suppose we should expect nothing less! Of course they would do something like this in their own base! And of course..."

Viza suddenly turned around and blocked an attack of dark clouds that seemed to form blades which came from behind.

"It looks like someone came to greet us".

"Hey old man. Would you mind just lying down and dying for me? I got an appointment to keep, and there are some bothersome people I dont want to get there first".

"Bothersome people?"

* * *

(Cody POV)

Tora's memory certainly had not gotten rusty it seems, as he gave clear instructions for this facility augmented by maps created for them by Mimik. Their objectives were the captives, both from Mideen and the test subjects, as well as the destruction of this base and the capture or elimination of the enemy commander.

Cody was not moved so easily, and tended to be a bit more care free then people expected from someone who had worked towards Murasame. But he had his reasons, and was not as simple a person as others. Even other S-Rank Agents couldn't be sure what he was completely like, and Temba Squad despite their efforts also couldn't be sure.

In truth, no one outside of the Old Border even knew the story of Murasame and its origin, as it had been with him since the days of Old Border. Murasame equaled family in terms of importance to him, but friends came very close...and Tora had this weird way of pulling people in and making them worry about him.

Outside of battle, Tora was probably worthless. There was no way anyone could count on him to be on time, or to be able to help properly. He would mess up or get confused about the smallest and easiest of things, and was way too easily tricked. He didn't really know how to be honest, which made everyone really want to mess with him.

He was basically hopeless, with practically no redeeming qualities.

But he did have that spirit...despite his nervousness and such, he had a spirit that Cody remembered from long ago...even if they seemed like totally opposite people, there was something deep down that reminded Cody of his grandparents.

Thats why he would save Tora, not just from this place, but from himself. From doing what Tora planned to do, and breaking himself.

Because Tora intended to murder Kranz in cold blood, even if he surrendered.

That was why Cody couldn't allow Tora to get alone. He knew that Tora planned to rush after Kranz the moment he ditched everyone else. That Tora was planning to do something like murder.

"Down this hallway should be a main access hallway! From there, we have to split up! Yuki, can you save the captured people at intake?"

"Sure. You planning to go towards the cells and labs area?"

"Yeah...I will break everyone out, and everything to bits".

"I am coming with you".

But there was another who also had no plans to seperate with Tora, aside from Sarah and Daisuke. And that was Miwa, who had caught up and tagged along with them the whole time. And of course, Cody also had no intention of separating with Tora.

"Watch out!"

Before anything else could be said though, large laser walls suddenly activated as the group was passing through the area. They all quickly got out of the way thanks to Tora warning them with his Danger Sense, but the walls ended up dividing the entire group. Tora and Miwa were one group, Daisuke, Mei, and Sarah another, Yuki and the rest of his group, and then Cody on his own.

And then, Cody felt an enemy kick the side of his face from behind and sent him flying into a wall.

It was nowhere near what he wanted, but he knew if they all stayed there they could get boxed in and overrun. He raised Murasame, and pointed it at his attacker, a man with long silver hair and purple eyes.

"Go on ahead! I will handle this! But no matter what, do not get seperated! I will meet up with you in a bit Tora!"

Tora nodded, before he and Miwa ran off while the others went in their own directions. They all understood they could not stop here.

"Too bad for you...Tora-chi didn't know me, because if he...or you...did, you would not have made such a foolish mistake".

The man raised his Trigger, and swiped it in the air at Cody. Nothing seemed to happen, there was no impact or anything else, but suddenly Cody's trigger was gone and he was dressed again in sweatpants, sneakers, and a sweatshirt with a Border Logo on it.

...as the son of Border's leader, he had a lot of clothes with the Border Logo on it. Little known fact about Commander Kido, he liked to buy stuff at a discount, and as the leader of Border, he could easily get Border themed clothes at a discount.

"The hell?!"

"You see, my special little trigger here lets me power down any other Trigger or Trion source. I know, great right? With this, I can just keep beating you until you die".

"...so its a Trigger that can disable any one Trigger huh? Good to know..."

Even though it was deactivated, Cody still held Murasame. Its blade certainly felt like its power was...not gone, but dormant.

The man charged at him while in a Trion Body, but Cody deflected it with Murasame all the same and moved around him. A very impressive feat when you consider his own body should currently not be an enhanced Trion Body the other guy was doing.

But Cody was not done yet, and activated Murasame once more.

* * *

(Daisuke POV)

Sarah, Mei, and me ran through the halls. Honestly, I was really worried about Tora being all alone in the place of his nightmares, but I couldn't let that distract me. Right now, the defenses were so tight Mei and Sarah couldn't charge towards them, so I had to take them out for us to move forward. We were cut off from Yuki as well, so we could only do our best and head towards intake seperately while Yuki found a way around. It seemed like they had turned this entire place into a labrynth just to confuse us.

"Alright! Turrets are down, intake should just be ahead!"

"Then lets hurry! Before they get desperate and use them as hostages".

The group then charged forward, hoping that no one else would come around and stop them. However, as they entered intake they did not get so lucky.

Inside the room, along with the destroyed remains of a few Trion Soldiers, there was a woman. She held a cane in one hand, with burgendy hair and eyes, and seemed thoroughly annoyed with their arrival.

"Huh. We did not expect Mideen to get this far so fast...and right when I found one of our goals too".

As she said that, two portals opened up and Rabbits dropped down from them.

"Capture them if possible. If they got here, they might be useful".

* * *

(Tora POV)

Somehow, despite my expectations me and Miwa had been unhindered at all, making it to the cells and labs quite easily. There should have been guards, but it seemed like the chaos everywhere had htem all pulled away. It seemed like some heavy fighting had started, but I had not seen either Coba or Kranz yet.

"I was expecting one of them to come and fight me personally, but...so far, nothing".

I said that as I broke another lock on the door, and opened a cell. That said, we had a new issue now.

"Where is she?! Which cell has my sister?!"

Miwa was being an impatient ass.

I broke the lock on one door to see who was inside and...

"Ha! Got you now!"

"Wha..."

I had to dodge as someone tried to cut me in half with a Trion blade. At first, I had to consider they had some sort of control devices in place, and the prisoner in front of me as well as the ones we just released were traps, but...when I saw who it was, I just had a blank stare on my face that even surprised Miwa. That boy with blonde hair and emerald eyes...he could be really bothersome...

"Yuyan...you seriously think this is the time for this? I am initiating a large jailbreak here".

"Oh come on! Without those guys watching or interrupting, we can finally see which one of us is stronger! And then, we can go and punch that Kranz guy in the face!"

"Miwa, this is Yuyan. Somehow despite being a prisoner, he has this level of energy and pep, and is ultimately an active kid with a love of fighting".

"Hey! If we are men, then we of course have to love fighting! To show our spirits to the max in a way that transcribes all others!"

"I also think there is something not right with his head".

"Hold on, due to those experiments affecting you both, can you even grow large enough to be called men?"

That comment seemed to have an affect on Yuyan, who turned around and kneeled while facing a wall sulking.

"...you dont have to bring that up!"

"...please dont. Besides, we might still have a chance!"

"...can we just focus on finding my sister?"

"What about our..."

"Yuyan! Time and place! We can settle that later, after we escape and leave this place! Also, do you know where a woman who looks a lot like this guy is?"

"Oh...I think I saw her getting dragged to Graves some time ago".

We looked in the direction specified, but they also could hear a large amount of boots slamming against the ground in their direction.

"Huh. I guess Kranz knows you are back here, breaking everyone out Shiro (White)".

"Shiro?"

"Yeah! That is one of his nicknames! Short for 'The White Death which brings Ultimate Terror!'"

"Oh my...Yuyan, stop giving me weird nicknames! And if you want to prove your a man, how about proving to be reliable?"

At those words, Tora took out a spare Border Trigger case from his boot, and tossed it to Yuyan who caught it.

"So your saying, I have to fight all those people by myself? Ha, you know what I love!"

"First three on the main are blades, last is a shield. On of off, first is the same blade as the first on the main, second is another blade that I use mainly, and final two are optional Triggers for second and third blade on the main, in that order. Try not to get so distracted you let one by you!"

"Yeah yeah..." Yuyan said, activating the Trigger I gave him after deactivating the one he had kept hidden. I really, really wanted to punch that fool later, but right now I focused on appeasing Miwa so he wouldn't kill me and maybe maybe like me a little, or at least dislike me less.

But the moment we entered that room, I felt a chill go down my spine and I sensed danger from the left. I was just barely able to put a pinpoint shield up in time. It still shattered, but it absorbed some of the momentum and damage of a Champion punching me in the face and stopped me from getting my Trion form instantly destroyed. Miwa meanwhile paid no attention after noticing his sister strapped to a table nearby, and tried to free her, but had to stop and dodge when Kranz fired a shot from a Trion Handcannon. Not his usual choice in weapons, but I suppose maybe he did it more to get our attention.

Kranz was still behind a shielded wall however, in the control room that overlooked the lab. The door seemed to seal shut behind us. So this was the trap.

"Well now. I am not sure how you kept zipping all over the place and getting in our way, but this is the end for you".

As we all heard explosions in the background, I could feel dread overwhelming my body as I now knew I was trapped in a room, only Miwa to rely on against a Champion. Indeed, if he set all this up, then the lack of guards probably meant...they were planning to corner the others with numbers as well.

I ended up having to hope that idiot Yuyan noticed the issue and came to help out.

* * *

AN: Like I said, trying to get back into things, so hopefully posting faster again. By the way, how many of you like Yuyan, or any of the other arrivals showing up at this point?


End file.
